When Science and Magic Meet, The Story Begin !
by lordrednight
Summary: Halkeginia is ruled by the nobles, over the ones known as the commoners, chosen by the Founder Brimir welders of the arcane arts, they abuse of their powers against the commoners... But what could happen if Saito was summoned from a different planet Earth than the one we know ? With a different mindset and wasn't from the 21st century ? Halkeginia and the world will change...
1. Chapter 1 - A gloom beginning

**Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.**

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Chapter 1 - A gloom beginning :

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Darkness... Pure obscurity... That was how someone would describe it, a space without light or gravity but, strangely enough, in this mere oblivion was air. A breathable atmosphere, at least hopefully, with all what a carbon based lifeform needed to survive like our protagonist here present.

"Hum... How convenient..." He thought aloud, not like someone was going to make a smart comment about his statement. After having been sucked up into what seemed at first glance a strange vortex who in fact didn't really looked like one, but was more an energetic anomaly, to end here would be quite disturbing for almost anybody.

But sadly the fact that he could breath in this uncanny space like he was actually now wasn't what was bothering the, at first glance, young man. No... Something more... Alarming.

"-ALERT ! ALERT ! ALL PRIMARY SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONING ! MAJOR MODULES DAMAGED ! SUB DIMENSIONAL CONNECTIONS OVERHEATING ! ENERGETIC OVERCHARGE DETECTED ! SAFETY DISCONNECTION ! MAIN ENERGY SUPPLY DEPLETING ! EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE REQUIRED ! ALERT ! ALERT !-"

Came a incorporate voice who was repeating in loop the whole pre-programmed sentence, from a strange white device with a touch of glowing blue lines here and there, with a buzzing red screen in the center on the left arm of a black haired, blue eyed, teenager of the 23rd century clothed in what the technology of the last century does best in matter of textile and clothing, dressed in white blue snickers with automatic tying completely waterproof, blue jeans who's design haven't changed much thoses centuries, a white t-shirt and a blue and white stripped jacket. His clothes may seems basic but in fact they're made of auto-cleaning and self repairing nano fibers, who were famous because of the fact the color can be changed to the wearer's will, who at this point was simply... Freaking out.

"External assistance... External assistance... Where the hell do you want me to find the nearest repairer ! Stupid thing ! Urasai !" Answered back frankly the owner of the very device. "Okay... Okay... Calm down Saito... It's useless to lose your calm. Breath deeply... There... Okay. First thing first, stopping that damn alarm." He pressed an icon on the screen. "Done... Ouf... That's great when that's stop. Now... Check what's still working, fortunately I, like every owners of this thing, have read the too long for my taste maintenance manual, even if I didn't really read the whole thing... That book was a library on itself, and I may have forgotten since then certain things... But at least I received a obligatory formation for not accidentally open a rift in the space-time continuum... That's kinda messy when that happens." Said the young man thinking about a news info he saw on tv some time ago, going apparently by the name of Saito, while tapping on a button on the device's tactile screen.

"So... Let's see what we got here... The main energy conduction source is loosing power because it's and the generator's module are damaged discourtesy of the overcharge, but if I redirect the power source to the emergency energy module who, if that thing is correctly manufactured, should be available... Bingo ! Well I have only a few hours but that will be enough. Now the sub dimensionals connections… Have cooled by now and are now connected back again to the Matrix good. So let's check on the modules inside… Ah… The vortex's module is, guess what ? Damaged, that's just great... Sigh... Anyway I'll take care of that later I've got more pressing things to do. Now let's see what's next... Ah ! Ah ! The nano connection between my neuronal system to the device's system is still going, good news. That means if I reboot the thing, and if I have some luck... There !"

The moment Saito typed the command, his vision flashed like if a sudden bright light appeared in his visual field, for quickly lessen into taking shape of an array of symbols and lines.

"Good... The HUD is back online nice... That means the nanites against my lens aren't damaged, finally some good news ! Arre ? What's the..? The compass is crazy ! Why ?" Indeed, if one were to see what Saito could, he would see a strange white bar in the middle top side of his vision, alternating between the usual letters of the initials representing the cardinal directions, North, East, South and West, with between them numbers moving quickly at an unsteady pace horizontaly.

"Hum... That's maybe because the fact I'm certainly not on a planet anymore... Neither somewhere in the know universe too by the way..." He said while looking around him with a worried frown. "Tonikaku, let's get back to business, what's next to check on... Oh yes my vitals, I'm not feeling hurt but better be safe than sorry." Saito then looked to his left corner side to see a human shape with separations for each part of the body, head, and limbs all highlighted in green. "Ah... That's good to know. At least I'm in one piece. But I don't see the outline of the shield... Not good... If something big would happen to hit me, even with the body's renforcements I got at birth, like the Nano-Meds, that certainly would hurt. I may heal fast but I rather not risk to be threatened, I don't know what's lurking around here. Supposing there are something out here... Anyway. The HUD is back and I'm good, so let's see what happened to the systems and modules, and try to find a way back, contact assistance or, at the very least, find out how or why I'm here."

After a few moments of wandering inside the device's system, Saito finally found out what he was looking for.

"So the problems/solutions tab... The problems/solutions tab... Ah ! There ! Eurgh... That's nerly a gibberish of scientific terms but well I'll manage, kana... So let's see what we got there... Manifestation of an unknown energy causing a disruption of the quantum equilibrium inside the Matrix in charge of the different modules containing the diversity of the tools and technology inside multiple personal pocket dimensions for each module. Said modules connected to the system by the Matrix via enclaved artificial sub spacial links, said links being unstable because of the same unknown parasitic energy sources... Yada, yada...

Sigh... My head... And that's not really helping... Ah ! But that on the contrary. In case of an hazardous incident on your M.S.C. (Modular Systems Computer), a product of TerraCorp Industry Inc, approved by the Earth's Colonies Galactic Alliance or ECGA, and you can't have access, to one of the many repair stations dispersed in the colonies situated throughout the sector of the ECGA in the Milky Way Galaxy don't worry, the Nano-Components which all the tools are made of, can repair themselves with time, but beforehand do make sure you have enough energy to sustain such repairs... Enough energy... Oh nothing to fear, I can allow enough with the help of the emergency source. Okay so let's see..."

After a few seconds of typing, the process of repairing the main energy source was launched, and by mere luck that was done in just less twenty second.

"Oh yes ! I was lucky there were so very little damages to it, now, the energy levels... Gasp ! So few ? Really ? Damn... It's because the generator is still damaged. Mmm... I was wondering, does the vocal system function ?" Saito press on some button and... "M.S.C. transfer all the available energy to the generator's module and tell me the level of progress of the repairs." He order the device.

"Understood. Energy transfer process... Energy transfer done. Module : Generator, structural state, 46.4 %." Says the M.S.C. with the same incorporate but stoic voice.

"Oh yeah that better... Definitely better, but that voice is just weird. Load vocal pre-set number 2, also show me on the HUD the progress." On cue, an icon representing the generator and it's level of progress, being now at 47.2 %, appeared on the right middle side of Saito's vision. "Okay M.S.C. do you detect anything around ? Oh and now that I think about it, it should but, does the emergency life resources works ? If yes I would like some water." Asked Saito.

"Yes sir. Approximately 10m at your front there is the same unknown energy source than before." Answer loyaly the device with a different more human voice to it's owner, while extracting a small water bottle from it's internal emergency reserve, said bottle popping up with a cloud of whirling particles.

"In front of me ?" Says Saito while turning his head and taking a sip. "Ah... That's feels good... Eek ! On the other side that cost so much energy just for one small bottle ? I really have to get the hell out of here... Speaking of which, if it's the same energetic anomaly that had damaged you before, will it be safe to approach ?" He asked frowning, with contemplation at the very object in question.

"Normally no sir. But now that the energetic anomaly has been analyzed it can be possible to form a force field to prevent the same predicament." Answered again the device.

"Okay... Does the thrusters are operational ?" Asked Saito while finishing it's bottle and pressing a button on the screen, making spoken empty bottle disappear in another particles cloud, recycling energy was allways a good idea.

"Yes sir. They can be deployed at anytime. But the energy supply are low so they can't do interspace travel. And they cannot fly at their maximum speed." Answered back the virtual intelligence of the device.

"Alright. Active the force field and deploy the thrusters." Order Saito.

"Roger sir."

And with this last sentence, the orders are obeyed, the force field activated and a yellow glow was seen around the M.S.C. meanwhile, two whites circles blinked into existence around Saito's ankles, and an intricate propelling system started to form around his shoes resembling curiously like two little white and glowing blue lined boots, made of Nano-Components constructed in polymer and metal composite of titanium and others alloys, commonly known under the name of Plasteel encompassing his shoes.

The Plasteel was a commonly used material for almost every technology made by TerraCorp, one of the first suppliers of the ECGA, going for daily products such as tools and vehicles to spaceships as well as weaponry, the M.S.C. was no exception.

Due to the fact that the thrusters boots were connected by a chain alternating between nanites and nerves, going all the way up his spine to Saito's own brain, he needed just to think about it and the boots responded by activating themselves with a glowing blue light under them. They were equipped of an anti-gravitational field allowing a much better flying experience as an ion plasmic propeller running on the very device's energy. The wearer concentrated on the commands and, without further ado, he trusted himself and his M.S.C. into nothingness with short trails of blue light coming from his feet for reaching... An explosion.


	2. Chapter 2 - A dusty first impression

**Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.**

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Chapter 2 - A dusty first impression :

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There was one thing that would describe the changement of scenery... Dusty... Yep. That would resume in all the whole situation, a cloud of dust so dense that if one would be in his place he wouldn't be able to see anything in less than fifty centimeters but how exactly this situation has came to be ? Well let's rewind time for just less than one minute.

Saito was steadily approaching the same energy source that the one before who brought him in this void, with his thrusters a their maximum present performance due to the low energy level, 10m became quickly 5m, 1m, then... A blinding light followed by pain. A striking pain like if one were to be hit by something fast that quickly dissipated, he must have crashed he thought, and after that... Coughing... A lot of coughing... The sunlight had trouble to perce through the airborne dirt but nonetheless was piercing through. And that was what hit him, sunshine and a solid ground, a gravity seemingly looking like Earth's one albeit just slightly weaker, all those facts making him think he was back planetside, proven by the now stabilized compass on his HUD pointing generally to Southwest. And a lot of dirt. That was important to stress it, for it seemed that was what choked him. At least until the security measures of the M.S.C. kicked off and what seemed look like a compact white and glowing blue lined oxygen mask, deploying on Saito's mouth and nose, blinked in existence in a flash kind of the same fashion than the thrusters who, by now, were already retracted in their own module.

'Ah...' Though Saito taking a deep breath meanwhile the coughing fit were still going on around. 'That's better, a lot better... I thought I was going to- Wait. if I'm not the one who's coughing then who does ?' He thought while looking around in the cloud trying, without success, to see who was coughing but by the sound of it there were not just one person but at least, a dozen, until he heard a voice, a female and an haughty one at that by the sound of it.

"Par Brimir, Louise la Zéro ! Est-ce que tu a essayé de nous asphyxiés ou quoi ?" (By Brimir, Louise the Zero ! Did you tried to asphyxiate us or what ?) Cried a voice.

'Wait a minute... Is that... French ? But... How is that possible ? Did I end up somewhere back on Earth or in a francophone colony ?' Thought Saito perplexed while trying to decipher what of little he knew of the Latin based language.

"Je ne l'ai pas fait exprès ! Il y a du avoir un problème avec le sortilège ou le rituel en lui-même !" (I didn't do it on purpose ! There must have been a problem with the spell or the ritual itself !) Said a voice sounding quite young and hurt.

"Le sortilège ou le rituel non rien à voir avec ca ! C'est toi et ta magie qui ont un problème la Zéro !" (Neither the spell nor the ritual are at fault ! It's you and your magic who have a problem the Zero !) Answered it seems, the first voice from before.

"La ferme Zerbst ! Ma magie n'a aucun problème !" (Shut up Zerbst ! My magic has no problem !) Talked back the voice belonging, it seemed, to a certain Louise.

Saito having activated beforehand the translation program because he couldn't understand perfectly what was being said, started to have a bad feeling about what was displayed on the M.S.C., a realy bad vibe.

'Oi, oi, oi... What that supposed to mean !? Spell, ritual... Magic !? What the heck is that ? That's a bad joke ! It's impossible ! That... That... Cannot be ! Wait, I'm planetside again, it means I'm back in a conventional tridimensional space so, technically I should be, no, I must have a signal from extranet...' Saito then quickly checked on his device, in the bottom right corner where a symbol depicting normally an emitting antenna was to see, sadly, to his horror that said antenna was plain meaning there were no signal received.

'What ! B-b-but... That can't be possible ! The entire network is dispersed throughout via sub space around the ECGA territory in every human settlement ! They're speaking french goddammit ! That means I'm on planet belonging to the Alliance isn't ? Isn't..? If there is humans, because it must be humans it's obligatory, the french language is recognized by the M.S.C. and it's highly improbable that an alien species speak a human language, that kind of thing only happens in mangas, so... So...

Oh by my ancestors... I haven't a clue or idea of what's going on, I'm just a average guy who was minding is own business, until that whole mess happened not a darn scientist... Wait ! What's happening ? Oh no… A damn wind is clearing the cloud they're going to see me ! Quick Saito ! Think !' Panicked the owner of the device who detecting no more apparent threats from the atmosphere, deactivated the emergency oxygen mask in a flash.

Suddenly everything went quiet. The dust finally cleared showing to any party concerned what the ritual did. A pregnant silence followed by many gasps and shocked eyes by the apparence of who was in the cloud the whole time since the explosion. Saito gulped seeing so many people dressed in strange clothes, making him think comically about this old movie about sorcerers from the 21st century.

'How was it called again ? Doesn't matter…' He thought.

There were a colorful panoply of people with colored hairstyle, but for someone from the 23rd century that wasn't really surprising he saw more diverse style especially in the time he was on Corona Prime, a whole megalopolitan planet known for her high density populations and industrial robotic center but who surprisingly has been able to still successfully kept her green spaces, for just five days mind you of field trip with his class in senior high school in second grade.

And stranges animals… He had saw many kinds of extraterrestrial beasts in digital books, zoos or on tv in those documentaries about wildlife, but never the kind he could observe now… The more resorting were a giant red lizard with a flame at the end of its tail, making him think about a creature of an old video game he saw on this retro games show, a strange giant floating eye who was making Saito shudder when he saw it blink, a giant mole that a blonde effeminate guy awkwardly hugged but was yet starring at him with wide eyes and a...

'Wait is that a dragon !? I can't believe it... A bloody fucking dragon is here right before me ! With wings and all standing and breathing just before my very eyes and... Wait... Speaking of which why does it eyes me like this ? Oi, oi, oi, I'm not food you big winged blue lizard !' The poor Japanese alien in this world scared to hell thought. 'I'm guessing that this is the proof I needed... I'm in a freaking magical world !'

"Qui est tu jeune homme ?" (Who are you young man ?) Asked the only adult in the assistance. Well the fiery redheaded girl over there, close to a smaller pink haired younger girl, with the very ample bosom could be very close to adulthood all things considered. The man was older but not so much, nerly bald if it weren't for a remaining patch of hairs behind his head, wearing a pair of eyeglasses adorned of a deep blue robes, the whole dressing followed by a long wood staff flat on top with two red stripes.

A classical if not cliche magician look.

Saito could understand what this man was saying but, understanding a sentence would not necessarily mean be able to answer the question. He didn't knew a bit of french ! He could make use of the translating program, but he didn't want to startle them. Who knew what their reactions would be at the sight of him talking to his device, for it to talk to them afterwards. He didn't want to look crazy, or worse, especially considering the actual circumstances.

"Me comprend tu jeune homme ?" (Do you understand me young man ?) Asked again the older man, a teacher it seemed, eyeing the outworlder and the device on his arm with curiosity.

Saito nodded and the possible teacher frowned slightly and fixed the ground for a few seconds until he looked back at Saito with, a light behind his eyes.

"Tu peux me comprendre mais pas me répondre c'est bien ça ?" (You can understand me but cannot answer back is that it ?) He asked with understanding to the Earthling.

Saito looking at the screen and then back at the man nodded again.

"Ah ! Ah ! Ah ! Le familier de Zéro ne peux pas parler il est mué !" (Ah ! Ah ! Ah ! The familiar of Zero cannot speak he is mute !) Shouted a well endowed, but not in the right place for not outrightly saying obese, lumpy blonde boy, making laugh a big part of the group and making the pink haired girl look to the ground while constricting her fists.

"Silence ! Êtes-vous tous des nobles oui ou non !? Alors comportez vous en t'en que tels !" (Quiet ! Are you all nobles yes or not !? So behave as such !) Reprimanded the adult to the group.

'Hum... Yes definitely a teacher... Wait. What did he say ? Nobles ? Oh, oh... That doesn't sound good.' Thought Saito while frowning to the boy who started the commotion.

"Excuse mes étudiants, j'admets qu'ils sont quelques peux indisciplinés mais ils ne sont pas de mauvais bougres. Mais... Est-ce vrai, est-tu mué ?" (Pardon my students, I admit they are somewhat undisciplined but they aren't so bad. But… Is that true, are you mute ?) Asked sympathetic the teacher.

Saito nodded negatively this time and confusion went through the people present.

'Argh... It's not going to be an easy conversation, I wonder if it's too late to quickly download the french language into my brain... Mmm… All things considered, that wouldn't be a good idea. The process takes some times and it could confuse them. Not counting the fact that not only it would hurt a bit, giving me an hell of an headache afterwards, but it would also leave me defenseless the time necessary for the M.S.C. to do the work... And I wouldn't have any of it.' Thought deeply Saito apprehension seeping into his mind.

"Mais je ne comprends pas mon garçon, si tu nous comprends et que tu peux parler, pourquoi ne répond tu pas verbalement ?" (But I do not understand my boy, if you do understand us and are able to talk, why do you not answer verbally ?) Asked confused the teacher.

Saito then made a sign to his mouth, at them then at his device, hopping they'll understand.

"Je ne saisis pas ce que tu veux nous faire comprendre..." (I do not catch what you want to make us understand...) Says the man, frustrating Saito for a few seconds, until a glimmer of hope showed up. "Mais peut-être peux-tu seulement nous comprendre grâce à cet objet ?" (But perhaps can you only understand us because of this object ?) He asked with understanding in his eyes.

Saito was suddenly overcome with relief, and instantly nodded in affirmation.

"Je ne sais point comment une telle chose est possible, mais j'ai peut-être une solution..." (I do not know how such a thing is possible, but I may have a solution...) He finished confidently.

Saito perplexe on what he counted to do, observed attentively while crossing his arms, then he saw the teacher raising his staff and whispering a few words of ancient lore whose meaning was lost to him and, strangely enough, the M.S.C. too it seemed if the unknown language alert was of any indication. Then the magician stared at Saito, pointed his staff at him and the young man felt a spinning wind circling around him and something wash over himself, the unknown sensation going even through him, the feeling was strange... Like he was charged of electrostatic and then... That was over.

"There it's done !" Exclaims the man. "Do you understand me now ?" Asked again with hope the teacher.

Saito couldn't believe what was happening... He could understand like if the language was japanese, albeit with a strong European accent but still, he could understand !

"I can understand alright now sir... It's unbelievable... So... That's magic ? True magic and not a trick or a good special effect ?" Asked back Saito putting his right hand on his head.

"Why but yes it's magic young man, is it the first time you saw it ?" Demand the man slightly confused of what a special effect is.

"Hum... Yes sir. Euh... Who are you and where am I ?" Answered Saito finally satisfied that the language barrier is now gone.

"For answering the first question I am the professor Jean Colbert, and the second you are actually in the Tristanian Academy of Magic." Answered proudly the man now know as Colbert. "And may I know your own name young man ?"

"A magical academy ? Weird... Anyway my name is Hiraga Saito. Can I know what I'm doing here professor ?" Queried Saito.

"Hiragasaito... That's an... Interesting name to say the least."

"Heu no... Hiraga is my last name, meanwhile Saito is my first name, professor..." Correct Saito, decidedly olds habits die hard.

"Oh Saito is your first name ? Sorry young man, that an interesting way of introducing oneself that it." Smile Colbert.

"Yes sorry, that the ways of my land." Precise Saito, smiling back politely. "So can you tell me please what I'm doing here professor ?"

"Ah yes… The summoning. You see Saito, your appearance wasn't planned, at least not completely, the Spring Time Summoning ritual happening today, consist in the fact that every second year of this academy have to pass it for being able to carry on their magic cursus through the year. Miss Valliere here present had summoned you after two attempt. Miss Valliere if you would approach." Explained Colbert while the girl known as Louise reached timidly the two men.

The first thing he remarked about her was her beauty. She was strikingly beautiful, her face was surrounded by almost blonde cotton candy pink hair, with brown nearly pink eyes, barely maybe just thirteen to fifteen years old, much more younger than he truly was, but you could see that already the promise of a remarkable future young woman were shown, she was wearing black school shoes, knee-length black stoking, a black skirt going just above the knees, a white dress shirt, a dark black cape holden by a golden caps with a pentagram carved on it. She was alike a porcelain doll but something shattered this illusion. It was her eyes... Something were wrong about them, pain, shame, and above all... Anger. She was pissed, and by the way how she was looking at him, that was against him.

'Why ?' Wondered Saito perplexed. 'I didn't do anything to her so why does she looks at me with those eyes ? Either she has issues, or there's something going wrong, apart me being there...'

"Saito, I present you Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, your summoner." At those words Louise casted a look at Saito that, if it could, would kill. "Now Saito there is certain things I have to explain… Even if you weren't planned and that a human familiar are unheard of, the fact that Miss Valliere summoned you is still of actuality. Before you ask, no, there are no way to send you back were you came from... Sorry, the spell that brought you here was designed millenia ago to basically, in the origins, bring a chosen familiar for the mage who casted the spell, it's inner workings are very little understood even in modern days and it wasn't designed to send back the creature summoned. The way I see it you have two options, one, you refuse to accept and you can go wherever you want I will arrange for you some commodity for traveling back where you hail from, or two, you simply accept." Stated Colbert sympathizing for Saito predicament.

"Hum… If I refuse what's gonna happen to her ?" Asked slightly curious Saito.

"Well… That's complicated, that not entirely considered a failure because she did successfully summoned you but… The whole point of the ritual is to make a contract with a familiar, it's only after the contract is made that the summoner is considered a true mage I don't kn-" But he was interrupted.

"Enough ! I'm not going to stay still listening to this madness ! Professor Colbert please let me try again the spell I know that I can bring forth a great familiar please !" Begged Louise.

"I'm sorry Miss Valliere but I can't let you do this, the ritual is considered like a sacred rite by the church. You cannot try it again now that Saito is here..." Tried to resonate the teacher to his student.

"I'm not going to have a useless commoner to be my familiar that would be disgraceful !" Shouted vehemently Louise.

'A useless commoner humph… I understand now why she was looking at me this way before and what Colbert meant to those guys. That not good, not good at all... Of all the places I had to end up to it's on a monarchical gouvernement based planet, or at least country. And that just a guess but something tells me that I know where the mages stand for... Oh boy...' Thought Saito while Colbert tried to calm the pink haired teenager.

"So Saito, what do you decide to do ?" Asked Colbert, watching with all the seriousness of the situation.

"Well... What does that mean precisely to be a familiar ?"

"I'm glad that you ask... You see normally, a familiar is an extension of the mage, that have been said even before the reflection of the mage itself. The bond between a mage and his or her familiar is so intricate that, with time and experience, the mage can see and hear what the familiar does…" Hearing that make Saito frown. "But don't worry, you being a human I'm sure that's not going to work the same way. That situation is without precedent so I cannot be totally sure…"

Knowing this fact was making Saito think.

"Does being a familiar do something to the creature itself ?" Saito asked concerned.

"Well yes… A contracted familiar has it's intelligence boosted for the matter of understanding the mage orders, also... The familiar often gains an ability of sorts. By example cats are frequently given the ability of talking… Yes you have a question ?" Say Colbert seeing Saito open his mouth.

"You say that the contract modify the brain of the creature summoned... What would happen so, hypothetically, to a human being already capable of thinking and talking ? A human already intelligent ?" Saito asked concerned.

"Well... Like I said before a human being summoned is without precedent so I-"

"If I accept the contract will it deprive me of my own mind ?" Interrupt Saito. "Will I be ripped of my freedom ? My free will ? Will I be turned into a slave !?" Shout Saito terribly worried about the turn of events taking a step back.

"Calm down my boy…" Say Colbert raising his right hand in a gesture of peace.

"Calm down ! Calm down ! How can you expect me to calm down ! That's not you who was brought here from his homeworld against his own will to a place totally unknown to him ! Who was ripped from his family and friends ! Who is threatened to have his brain and heart manipulated to be turned into something less than human !" Screams Saito angry about his own ordeal. "Where I came from, everyone, every single person is equal in right and freedom !"

That last sentence made some of the students reacting.

"Equal in right ? What by the Founder that plebian is talking about ? It's common sense that a noble outright a mere commoner..." Say a student.

"Yes but look at him… His clothes aren't the usual wear that a commoner is used to be accustomed." Say another student at the right of the first.

"That is true... Maybe he is a lesser noble ?" Speculate a third student to the left of the first.

"No… That can't be… Even if he was a lesser noble he wouldn't be so surprised." Disagree another one behind the trio.

"Maybe he's from Rub' al Khali ? I've heard from one of my father's friend, a merchant who has traveled there, that the people from the east of the Sahara have an entirely different way of doing things... That they doesn't look like us but also have an unusual skin color, just like him. It's been even said that they use strange metals contraceptions, not even golems, to do their work !" Said a student besides the last one, attracting the attention of many other.

"Surely you must be exaggerating..." Mocked another beside him.

"I am not !" The story teller shouted obviously upset.

Ignoring the demeanor of his class, professor Colbert focused on the young man before him.

"I understand your concerns young man but remember what I said before... You aren't obligated to accept. If you want to go, just go. But if, and only if, in the eventuality you want to make the contract I swear on my honor to do anything I can to help you if the contract do something to your integrity. And if you accept I will even be able to try to find a way to send you back home..." Marchand the man. "Being brought here by a student of this institution means that you are the responsibility of the Academy. Sadly, if you refuse you will not be allowed to stay here. Any person who are stranger to the staff members, administrations, teachers and servants alike, and aren't a student are not allowed to stay in the premise of the Academy. I'm sure you understand but do not be concerned, like I said you will be provided means of support… That I swear on my honor." Added Colbert at what Saito nods. "But if you are here as Miss Valliere's familiar you will be allowed to stay."

Saito by then was contemplating his options... That was the first time in his life he had to take a so important decision.

'What to do, what to do… On a side I could just simply walk away... But doing that would mean to errand on an unknown planet, stranded away from any forms of civilization, at least space able. And even if he happened to give me a way to survive in this world I just don't know how much time remains until I can make a vortex to return back home... About that, how are the progress of the repairs ?' He looked to his right to see the generator's progression on his HUD. '72.8 % ? That was quite fast. Okay so… By tonight or at least tomorrow morning he should be fully repaired, giving me full power, which means I will be able to start repairing the vortex module, it's a lot more urgent than the others, hopefully is not too damaged but I wouldn't count on it. This module is one of the majors connected at the Matrix, at the front of the secondaries close by the generator so it's pretty much certain that he suffered casualties, and let's not forget that I'm defenseless without the shield, sure I have the body enhancement, the standard Nano-Meds issued at birth and the likes, so I should be safe if I'm injured. And I have access to unlimited supplies of food and drinks, as long the M.S.C. has an energy source, and the generator can go for almost hundreds years, so I should not starve to death and I could even be able to make myself a nice base. But finally I don't know if I will have enough time outside this place without any danger in this unknown world... They have dragons for crying out loud ! Who knows what else there is ? There could be orks or something alike or maybe worse lurking in the forests for all know ! But if I accept to be her familiar, I risk to have my mind and heart manipulated... Still I must keep in mind that being a human, the effects of the contract aren't going to be same than with a standard summoned creature... But for what I'm aware of, he could have lied to me... No. He doesn't strike me as someone who would do that. So in the end it's all or nothing... Argh ! Okay I will accept to be her familiar, at least for a time, like that I'll be safe the time necessary to wait until I can get home and, hopefully, I will not be changed progressively into her slave... At least the time I need to find a way home... I just hope I'm strong enough to resist any magical effects this contract will do to me. Hopefully the nanites in my brain and the M.S.C., will be enough to keep me in check and whole. Hopefully yeah...' Thought Saito grimly making his final decision.

Louise was observing Saito with the utmost attention, after all... Her future as a student, as a mage no... More importantly as noblewoman was at stake ! And if this commoner knew his place he will make the good choice or he would be punished ! She was a Valliere after all and failure was not an option. Mother would be very, very, very disappointed. And she wanted not to face the consequences if she would happen to bring dishonor, Brimir guards her, to the family. This cursed familiar has better abide to his fate or it would cost him that much ! She thought while putting a brave front full of pride.

"Alright... I'll do it. But you better be respecting your part of the deal." He finally answer, to the delight of the young girl before him.

"I'm glad to hear that. And don't worry I will do my part." Say the smiling professor while presenting is hand for sealing the unwritten pact.

"I expect that much." Say Saito shaking the hand. "So… How does it works ?" Asked Saito, alternatively looking between the man and his master to be.

"Yes the contract. Miss Valliere if you would..."

"Understood professor..." She takes her wand hidden in her own robes and point it to Saito's head. "My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental powers; bless this humble being, and make him, my familiar !" Then she did something that totally took him by surprise, she kissed him, on full mouth.

Her lips were soft... A little strawberry taste, so nice to kiss that, guiltily and not so proud of himself, if he could he wouldn't mind re-doing again. Finally that ended he thought too quickly, with self-loathing, the instant she stepped back, a defiant look in her entrancing yet terrifying eyes, blushing slightly until she turned her gaze away. For a moment nothing happened, he was on a little cloud blinking stupidly, before the coming of a sensation pulled him back to Earth, manner of speaking, much too familiar to his taste... And guess what happens next ? Pain…

Decidedly that wasn't his day…

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**A/N : I've made a few changes and added a new line that missed in the original chapter. Those who have already read it will know what I'm talking about.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Absolutely not do that again

**A/N : I would like to give my thanks to the persons who had taken an interest for my story, thank you guys ! And now, onto the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.**

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Chapter 3 - Absolutely not do that again.

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Resume of the precedent episode...

After passing through the same energetic anomaly who brought him inside the empty darkness, Saito ended up in the Tristanian Academy of Magic. Encounter new faces, new creatures and, his source of problems. After a little misunderstanding Saito could finally know the reason behind everything that happened to him and, with the promise of seeing his home again, accepted the contract given by a young girl in a kinda hot way, but dejectedly not how Saito would have wished to.

"Argh ! What is this ! That burn goddammit ! You never said anything about that !" Screamed a kneeling Saito while holding is left hand in a useless attempt to ease the pain, smoke oozing from his whole body, and an unearthly glow coming from his left hand.

"Oh enough with your whining ! This is just the runes being inscribed, that makes you as my familiar for the world to see, making me irremediably your master…" Answered Louise smirking back victoriously at the crowd of students who mostly looked back at her impressed of her improbable result.

Indeed, on his left backhand was carving in his flesh strange patterns looking like Nordic runes, if the pain wasn't so painful like one was branded with very, very hot iron, he could've see the transcription being translated, by the still activated translation program, on his all watching M.S.C., who by now had sensed that his owner was suffering.

"WARNING HOLDER PHYSICALLY INJURED ! STARTING ANALGESIC INJECTION !" Say the incorporeal intonation of the device on his left arm quite… Loudly.

After the alien voice, to the shocked Tristanians, finished it's warning, Saito immediately started to relax with a serene look on his face. Louise was the first to recover albeit still thoroughly dismayed.

"W-w-w-what w-w-was this voice !" Come to, with much difficulty, say Louise, her voice nonetheless shaking from the unknown voice originating from the left arm.

"Sigh…" Responded Saito who, still a little bit dizzy because he wasn't used to, of the painkillers injected by the M.S.C. directly in his arterial system, had trouble to focus on her words for a few seconds, but soon enough he was coming to. "Ah… That was really handy... Yes… Very..." Says Saito while taking a few deep breaths to shake himself up.

"Answer me familiar ! What by the Founder was that !?" Shout Louise, stupor making place to anger.

"Firstly, it's Saito..." Said the new familiar rising from the ground, where his new existence came to be while holding up the right index. "My name is Saito and I would very much appreciate you to remember that, secondly…" He carry on with the middle finger. "That's a long… Veeeryyy looonnng... Story. That I, not only cannot answer because of complicated reasons that are far beyond your understanding, but also because I, don't, want, to…" He finished beaming innocently to his new master in amusement.

Louise was at this point gaping at Saito, not registering for an instant the fact that her new familiar, the very proof of her being a mage, wasn't obeying to her… If the other students wasn't also startled by the incorporate voice, they would be sneering at her. Until that everything hit home…

"Insolent familiar ! If I want to call you dog I will do so ! Useless commoner ! I. Want. You. To. Answer me ! What was that !? Obey !" Shout out Louise.

Saito by this point now was unamused for saying the least.

"Dear master..." Start Saito venom in his voice. "You have make your first mistake... You see… Where I came from, people don't address others like they were talking to someone lesser than them... Don't forget that I could've walk away leaving you at your own devices, letting you the pleasure to untangle yourself with the administration… That without me you would be in deep shit !" Shout back Saito pointing at her with an accusing finger. "You are not my master and I am not your slave ! I was born in freedom and certainly counted to keep the thing for what my people had fought for in the past… And I'm not going to stand still listening to the tantrum of a brat two times younger than me ! You own me… Don't forget that... Partner…" He finished, looking at her with disdain.

She didn't understood... What had she done to deserve that..? Her first successful magic spell ended with a failure... Why !? She thought. Why wouldn't he obey ? Why allways everything she'd done, no matter the time, the work or the mind she dedicated all her heart to, allways ended in failure... In explosion. There she was, summoning a being with magic, with magic ! She was a mage but no matter what she would do, that was again a failure... All she allways wanted was the recognition she deserved. Was that too much to ask for ? To be respected by her peers in the Academy for what she was, a true mage, not a zero... To be recognized by her own family... Her family... Her oldest sister would have raged to see her accomplish something and her mother… Her mother would have been so proud. To have birthed a proper heir to the Valliere name, not a deceiving magicless noble. Tristain wasn't like that barbarian country of Germania that Zerbst slut was coming from ! One couldn't not have the privilege bestowed by the Founder Brimir to be considered a noble like that ! If she wasn't a noble... A Valliere... Then, who was she ? Louise the Zero ? She didn't wanted to… She wouldn't be considered less than she was just because a mere commoner no. A familiar was undisciplined ! She would no, she will show him his place ! She w- Wait. What did he say ? Two times younger than him ?

"Wait, what ? How come two times younger than you ? What are you talking about ? You looks like you haven't even reached twenty years old !" Exclaims Louise again shocked by, and because of her familiar.

"Looks like I haven't reached twenty years old. Looks… Being the keyword there..." Stated smirking Saito crossing his arms.

"But what are you talking about !? Makes sense !" Shout back Louise.

"Sigh… Okay if you insist I can, I guess, tell you this much..." Say Saito while looking to the clear blue sky with some clouds here and there, but his mind wandering to what was above them, farther in the sky than every cloud could ever be. "Where I came from... We lives long and age slowly. More slowly at least than we used to in the past centuries. I may look like I have seventeen years old but, in fact, I have... Thirty years."

That declaration was met with diverses reactions. Firstly there were a moment of simple dumb silence, followed by a cacophony of voices coming from the students who, by now, have awaken from their torpor...

"What did he say ?"

"Preposterous !"

"That's impossible even the most powerful water spell can't even do that without leaving a trace !"

"But look at him does he looks like he was lying ?"

"He must be ! No one on this world could've had done such magic without being noticed by the church !" This comment made Saito smile.

"I don't know if it's true but if it is then I must have an hand on this !"

"Don't say those foolishness he's obviously lying…"

"And how can you be so sure ? Just look how he's clothed ! And that voice from before, do you have an explanation about this ? We don't even know where he's from !"

"Hum… I thought that we've all agreed on Rub' Al Khali ?"

"You have agreed on that alone..."

But let's leave that gossip nest of a class and get back to our heroes shall we ?

"Thirty years... But, how..?" Inquired Louise. "And what do you mean by in the past centuries ?" She finished skeptical.

"Like I said... It's a long story that maybe, I'll tell you in a later date. But as a matter of fact, I'm not really thirty, yet, I'm just twenty seven but who care about details ?" Respond Saito with shrug.

"W-what ? Twenty seven ? Ah… A-Anyway ! You can't just drop something like that and tell nothing else ! At the very least tell us from where you came from..." Nearly begs the master to the familiar.

"That would be meaningless and devoid of interest to tell you where I'm from... You wouldn't even understand what I'm talking about-"

"Try me !" Proclaim interrupting Louise defiantly.

"Fine…" Answered back Saito somewhat bored of all this pointless talk. "Let me answer you with a question. Do you know what is a galaxy ?"

At first Louise started to automatically answer, believing that a noble wouldn't lose to a commoner in matter of knowledge, but soon after the foreign word leaved her familiar lips, she realized that she couldn't answer… That her pride was biting back at her.

"G-g-ga-galaxy ? What is that ?" She says hoping to save face in this peculiar situation.

"You see ? If you don't even know what this word mean, how do you expect to get what I'm talking about ?" Says Saito shaking his head while shrugging.

"Don't look down on me familiar ! I want you to answer me now !" Stand firm the master.

"And if I don't ?" Taunt the familiar raising a brow. "What are you going to do ?"

"I think it's time for me your master to put you in your place familiar !" She answer back at the provocation by pointing her wand at him.

Professor Colbert, who was observing the whole exchange on the side with certain fascination about what this very interesting young man was revealing, decided to step in the conversation hoping to avoid another explosive predicament.

"Alright ! That is enough for today ! Students, class is dismissed ! Enjoy this time to start bonding with your respective familiar." Turning to the new partnership. "Saito before that you and Miss Valliere goes, could you please show me your runes ?"

"Of course professor..." Answer Saito doing as he's asked.

Upon taking the presented hand, professor Colbert took a closer look at the strange contraption, almost looking like a gauntlet but without the hand part, glowing here and there with a bright blue light, lying on the young man's arm. He observed the strange piece, guessing that the incorporeal voice of before was coming from here, and looked in Saito's face…

"Is something wrong professor ?" Humor Saito snickering slightly to the balding man.

"Pardon..?" Blink out of him trance Colbert. "Oh ! Hum… No, no. Nothings wrong, nothing..." Says the man while returning to the runes. "Interesting formation..." He whisper, copying the runes on a little handbook. "Yes certainly intriguing, like the owner himself... There ! I'm done, you can go now. Thank you and I hope that we'll be able to talk more at a later time."

Says Colbert while poking back his handbook, offering his hand to shake at Saito.

"Of course we will... After all we have to find a way to send me back, you haven't forgotten your promise isn't ?" Asked Saito raising a brow and shaking the hand offered.

"No, of course no, I haven't forgotten... Peace your mind." Answer back Colbert smiling confidently.

"Very well professor, see you later." Says Saito nodding farwell and returning to his master.

Colbert nodded back and turned to his student.

"Very well, have a nice day everyone and I bide you a good weekend until the next class."

"Yes professor !" Answer the remaining students who haven't yet walked or levitated away using magic.

Saito after parting with Colbert headed back to his master who was waiting for him her arms crossed.

"So… What's next ?" Asked Saito casually.

"Like we have now free time for, bonding…" She started while insisting on the last word. "We are going to my room. We need to talk..." Answer the master leading the way.

"Oh, oh… The four words that all men fears to hear..." Whispers humorously the following young man, tucking his hands into his jacket pockets.

When he was summoned at first he didn't truly made attention to his surrounding but now… He realized how much this Academy, no… This castle was big… From where he was standing he could see five towers with different roof colors for each ones, a dull purple, a yellow, a red, a white, and blue tower, surrounding a central bigger tower. The central one was huge... Meanwhile not as tall enough to overweight an Earth's skyscraper by a long shot that was still very tall. He noticed that all the surrounding towers, except strangely the purple one, where connected by opens passageways made of archs to the bigger one, leaving empty spaces of well kept grass and round flower fields. He didn't have a sky view of the whole edifice but he would bet that the towers made a pentagram symbol, not unlike the one he had seen on his new supposed master's caps, well he could allways check later himself with his faithful thrusters. They were by the way heading to the purple tower who, on closer inspection was made of certainly old, but well conserved wides, white stone bricks made possibly of granit, surly magic was at work here.

After climbing the little stone stairway giving access to the tower itself, they were entering the doorway and he saw a quite luxurious decoration. The wallpapers were of bright beige color with patterns, a few paintings here and there with between three lighted sconces. On the ground were royal blue couchs dispersed evenly around the first floor with, in-between them small wooden tables made assuredly of expansive wood. But what was really astonishing for Saito was… The indoor fountain. They had an indoor fountain damn it !

'Humph ! Show off…' He thought. "But I saw more extravagant in the past..." Saito thought, remembering all the architectural tv shows he saw times ago. 'Seriously, what kind of person needs an aquarium who serves as room which goes all the way up to the ceiling, filled of subnautical extraterrestrials… Including things that looks like mutant sharks ! I know that in normal times we're all shielded but c'mon… Mutant sharks with tentacles ! Or were they claws ? Sigh, anyway I guess that's what happens, when you're from a society where you can have everything you want.' Thought the otherworldly familiar while shaking his head in astonishment.

'Not that I'm better... Me and my holodeck that is, but at least I didn't overdo it like those colonialists just because they have all the space they want… Now that I think about it, wasn't there a guy who filled an entire island with dinosaurs on Mars ? How was he called again ? I'm sure that ended by mond or something similar, couldn't he do with all the prehistoric parks already present on Earth ? It's not like they were lacking, with all the manner of species they sample, not counting the breedings and clonings, going back from the late Pleistocene to the early Archean, sure time travel is handy... It's kinda unfair that it's heavily controlled by those from the Time Agency though, but I guess it makes sense, we don't want someone clumsy enough to do something that could potentially erase mankind. At least they're nice enough to give licenses, temporary ones mind you, and loan agents for those who want to travel, without charges of course. But an island seriously ? Oh whatever, peoples can do what they want with their life for all I care...'

Meanwhile his iner ranting, Louise was headed to a staircase in the back of the room, not even looking back at the everyday decorations, the stairs were also made of stones, with wooden railings on the sides and windows showing the court. After scaling three story of stairs, they aimed to the farthest door on the left side of the corridor. Louise stopped in her tracks, fished in her robes for something a few moments, and took out a simple but tough dark iron key. She inserted the key in the lock, turned her, triggered the mechanism and pushed the door. She entered and made sign at Saito to enter. Saito walked in the center of the room for taking a good view of the settings.

At first glance that was a simple yet refined but essentially practical student bedroom. The first thing obvious to see was the bed, a white canopy bed with, if everything was to be accounted for in this place, silk sheets or at the very least, cotton or linen. On the left side was a window, meanwhile at the right side of the bed was a simple table with two comfy chairs, also against the wall was various furnitures, to the very left a working table with on it a closed inkwell and a used quill lying alongside it. To the right was a wardrobe and a dressing table with on it various beauty tools. On the opposite wall was an empty hearth with, between it and the bed, an hay pile...

'Wait, what ? The hell that's doing here... Oh, oh… I have a bad vibe...' He thought at the same time eyeing the hay pile.

"Well !" Exclaims Louise taking place before Saito and her bed. "Explain me everything... Firstly. Who. Are. You !?" She ask imperiously crossing her arms.

"Do I really have to repeat myself ?" Ask blasé the familiar, who's answer came by a sharp nod of her head. "Hiraga Saito..."

"…" Louise casted a dark look. "I know that already ! What I want to know is what are you really ? Where do you came ?" Clarify Louise.

He sighed and took a deep lazy breath. His eyes closed for good measure.

"I've already told you... That's a long story... And I'm tired... That was almost night time before you've summoned me. And I had a tiring day… I suffered a lot... And even been under analgesic, so please give me a brea-" He interrupted his rambling himself when he looked back at her, and her right eye was twitching... Never a good sign no matter the planet you was. He gulped.

"Stop. Wasting. My. Time !" Shouted Louise hiting the floor with her foot. "If you think I haven't see through your little play well… You've got wrong ! So start spilling now…" She almost growled at him.

"Okay... But if after that you're lost that's ain't my fault ! Well sit because that gonna take a while..." He says, while Louise sit on her bed and Saito took a chair from the table behind him. "Ah… It feels good to relax a little after everything's that happened in a so short time... Wow, I must sounds like an old man. Anyway, you're all set ?" He asked, the answer coming again with a nod. "Alright... Hum... Where should I start..? Ah, yes. You know my name, obviously by now... But where I came from is another thing altogether because like you must doubt, I'm not exactly from around here." His statement was received by a, you think so ? Look from Louise. "Eh, eh… I got it. Well in the first place, my home town... A was born in Tokyo, the capital of my country, Japan, part of the Asian continent who is itself a part of my planet, my world... Earth... Also known as Terra or Gaia, that depends of the cultures and/or eras. You follow me so far ?"

"No… I don't... Well I've understand the fact you said that basically you came from another world but I don't know how to believe that. Apart from your clothes, your face and that strange voice from before, I don't know what to think…" Says Louise pursing her soft pink lips.

Saito was sighing in exasperation and tilted his head to the ceiling, leaning against the chair while staring at the carved stones, wandering his gaze left to right until he took notice of the changing numbers on his HUD.

'Oh… The generator's repair are at 91.2 %… Almost complete. That had taken less time I thought it would... Eh ! I've got an idea !' Thought Saito. "If you want a proof I can show you one in about ten minutes."

"A proof ? What kind of proof ? And why in ten minutes and not now ?" Asked Louise perplexe.

"Well... He, he. That kinda complicated." Says Saito smiling nervously.

"With you I've the feeling that everything is complicated... Alright I'll wait ten minutes but you better have your proof ready." Louise accept.

"You'll see it's really cool !" Nodded Saito.

"Cool ? We're in the middle of spring now… Winter's passed since almost two months... And your jacket seems warm enough ?" Says a very confused noble.

At first he didn't quite catch what she meant by that and was just blinking stupidly until he catches on.

"Oh ! You meant cool in the cold senses ! He, he… Sure that translation spell is handy but it has it's limits... By cool I mean that's gonna be spectacular, marvelous, sensational..." Laughed the 23rd century familiar.

"Ah… Right, cool… So that what you meant." Pondered the mage.

"Yep ! You'll see that gonna to blow your mind."

"Blow my mind ? You have really a funny language..." Says Louise arching a brow.

"Well yeah... Being from another world and all… Anyway in the meantime, what about you tell me of this place ? And your... Magic ? That's kinda interest me." Inquired the otherworldly familiar.

"Well I suppose there is nothing abnormal in a familiar asking knowledge from his master... For starters like you must know by now, you are in the Tristanian Academy of Magic, the most prestigious academy of the entire continent of Halkeginia. The academy like her name implies is located in the noble country of Tristain. In Halkeginia there are five main countries, the Kingdom of Tristain, the Kingdom of Albion, the Kingdom of Gallia and the Holy Empire of Romalia… These five countries were founded by the successors of the Founder Brimir, the one who gave magic to the chosens, the nobles..." She says with a proud and haughty look. "Then… There this barbarian country, if you could call that a country, the Empire of Germania…" She almost spite the name like it was poison. "That where that Zerbst harlot come from... The redhead one of before, you see who I'm talking about ?" She asked to Saito who, recalling the busty girl he saw the first moment he was summoned, nod quite eagerly. "Well don't go absolutely near her do you hear me !? Her family, the Zerbsts, are ancient enemies of the Vallieres, so I don't want you to sympathize with the enemy. Understand ?" She shout passionately to which Saito answer having qualms that he angered her most enough today.

"Yes ma'am ! Don't sleep with the enemy ! Roger that !" Salute Saito mockingly, by what Louise answer with a contemplative sigh and a shake of her head. But then he looked at the ground in contemplation. 'Hum… But still those names... They're so similar to the ones from back home... The most obvious would be Germania... The ressemblance with the actual Germany from Earth is so evident. And Romalia sounds so alike Italia's own capital Rome… By the way… Albion wasn't that, the ancient name of Great Britain before ? And Gallia I don't know why something tells me, that's have somehow a connection to France, I just can't help but have a feeling... I'll check on the M.S.C. later, but I have an inch that I'm maybe not so much on an alien planet anymore… Well yes technically it's still an alien planet, but those correlations and the fact they're speaking french are just too many to be overlooked... I'll ask later a map or more surly when the generator will be all patch up, got myself an orbital view of the continent.' Thought Saito pondering on the matter.

But he was roused from his thoughts with a clearing of the throat by Louise.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to know about the magic system ?" She asked with a bothered voice because he lacked of focus, which was answered by a sheepish nod from him. "Good then stay concentrated... Magic is an innate ability that all humans choosen by the Founder possess. When a mage cast a spell he consume a certain amount of magical energy called, Willpower… Each mage has an elemental affinity, and the number of elements that a mage uses can be increased, and his class changes accordingly. One who can use only one element is a Dot Mage, one who can use two makes a Line Mage, and one able to use three, Triangle Mage, after there is the rare, but not impossible ability to use four elements making the mage a Square. Spells are also applied to the class. The spells from three elements stacked are called triangle spells. Each time the spell class rises, the consumption of Willpower doubles. You follow so far ?" She asked at what he nodded in understanding.

"Good. For instance, the line spell would cost the mage eight of his Willpower, but when that mage decides to use the dot spell, only four of his Willpower will be consumed. The cost really depends on each person individually, however the same rule applies to all... The main point is, that a mage could cast two dot spells instead. Eight divided by four is two. Therefore, you could cast the spell twice. But when you cast a line spell only once, then twice of the Willpower is consumed, because eight divided by eight is one. Simply, when the Line Mage grows up to a Triangular Mage, consumption of the Willpower spent on dot spells decreases by half. Therefore, four divided by two equal two, he can use the dot spell four times. The line spell can be used twice. Triangular spell only one time. That's because the mage grows up. In other words, the low class spells can be chanted many times, while the high class spells can be chanted only so many times… You see ? It's simple !" She finished, finally he thought, cheerfully proud of herself sticking her non-existent chest out.

Saito by now had a little let's say processing problem.

'Oi, oi, oi… When I asked about the magic from here at first I thought she was going to tell me a fantastic story full of myths and legends like we saw in movies, books or video games not a darn mathematical lesson ! Oh well... At least I had a scientific view... Even if the whole thing defy every physical laws we learned since the start of our civilization... About that...' Thought Saito. "And what elements you talk about exactly ?"

"Well... They are in the numbers of five and constitue the Pentagram." She point to her golden pendent. "Fire and Air at the left and right arms, Earth and Water at the lower arms. With the lost element who is apex of the pentagon, Void."

"And I suppose that the towers color have something to do with the fives elements ?"

"Well in a matter of fact yes… I'm surprised you noticed that, by the way we're in the Void Tower." She indicated.

"Got it, so let me resume that... In this world, there's humans who can do magic, the mages. Those mages use a mana called Willpower..."

"Mana ? What's that ?" Asked intrigued Louise.

"Hum… That's one of the many names we have for supernatural energy coming from a human in my world." Explained Saito.

"One of the many names ? Why, they are others ?" She asked intrigued.

"Let me see… Yes by example, the chi, the qi, and many other that don't come to mind. But they're not yet proven, like magic, by scientifically means so they're not taken very seriously... Almost all magic that exists on Earth is either pure fiction, books and the likes or either complicated tricks showed in circus or theaters." Shrugged Saito.

"Wait are you saying that there is not magic, and no mage where you came from ?" She asked, fearful.

"Yep. Not a bit." He nodded simply.

"B-b-b-but ! That is impossible ! How can a civilization develop itself without magic !? Without mage to build cities ? Without nobles to dirige the masses ?" Shout Louise horrified by the mere thought of this horrendous, for her, and inconceivable world.

"Why... Science of course !" Declared proudly the 23rd century new familiar. "And if it makes you better, know that in the past in many region we used to have nobles…" That revelation seemed to peace her.

"Wait, how come… Used to ? What do you mean by that ?" She asked uncertain if she wanted to know the answer.

"Well... That's quite simple. In the past our ancestors made what we call, revolutions. The nobles were overthrow, many killed meanwhile some were smart enough to surrender their throwns and crowns to the people or change sides. And truth to be told, good riddance... They were arrogant, oppressive, tyrannical… They were abusing the trust of the people, and they were slowing us in our progress, our cultural evolution... If they were still there we couldn't have the freedom, the world we have now... We wouldn't never have reached beyond the skies..." He finished with nostalgia, thinking about his home.

Louise was on the contrary quite shocked about all what she experimented and heard today but, that, was the most troubling... Commoners who rises against their rulers, their master even, was something she never wanted to live and to think she had summoned a denizen of such a world was… Well troubling for saying the least.

"But how mere commoners can do such an certainly impossib- Oh yes… No magic… I forgot. Well at least here we have nothing to fear from merely weak swordsman or a sim-"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... If I were you I wouldn't say that too quickly." Interrupted Saito wagging his finger. "You can't know how far a desperate person, let's not talk about a group, can go if their pain are too much to endure or their hopes are crushed... And even with the presence of magic, mages will always stay humans, no matter what. And humans needs to sleep, to eat, to drink... And the stealthy of the assassins can go anywhere..." Nodded Saito with wisdom.

"You are saying nonsense familiar-" Started Louise earning a clearing throat from the mentioned man before her. "Saito... I simply know that is not going to happen anytime soon we are too much loved and needed here..." She says with an honest face.

"Believe what you want that's your right... But just open your eyes when the moment come." He says observing to his right that the progress are at 99.9 %. "But enough with this talk... You wanted a proof isn't ?" Louise nodded. "Then behold what the technology of the 23rd century of my world does the best !"

He pulled back his left sleeve showing to Louise the device presenting his arm to her. At first she was curious about the strange metal contraption. And when she saw the glowing blue lights she was dumbstruck, he bowed slightly for presenting her closer his device. She touched it and, realizing that was real, looked at him with beautiful curious eyes.

"What is this ?" She asked softly, in a voice he didn't know she could have.

"That, Louise... Is the M.S.C., my own Modular Systems Computer... And, if my timing is right in a few seconds I'll be able to explain everything, anything you wanted to know..." He answered softly too, like unwilling that the spell would be broken.

But unfortunately for him the spell was broken, shattered even, when indeed he was right. The progress were complete.

"Information. Module : Generator, structural state, 100% repaired. Primary energetic supply restored to maximum capacity." Says the programmed incorporate voice of the device. "The polarized magnetic-repulsive field or personal shield can be reinstated."

"Ah finally ! Okay so… M.S.C. reboot the personal shield."

From Louise point of view, the moment, the situation itself was truthfully a thing that would forever be inscribed in her memory. This simply otherworldly experience, an indescribable show that even if she would, she swears to the Founder, she will never be able to describe it. At first thought she believed that, either way her familiar or herself was beginning to lose reason. She thought in the beginning that this man, no much older than her at first glance, but was much older if he wasn't lying, was just sprouting nonsenses... He couldn't be what he pretended to be isn't ? That an other world existed, that his ancestors had investigated a, 'revolution', if she remembered the word correctly, a shivering word, for the purpose to overthrow the nobles, the chosens one by divine right. That his people had reached beyond the skies... That is impossible ! Right ? That was just the delirium of a commoner, right ? But then… She saw no. She heard this thing talk ! That Emesci something was talking ! And her familiar was even talking back to it ! He said something about a shield being ribout... What was that word ? That meant nothing ! And then she saw the light... A glowing golden white light encompassing him, like she imagined those knight in shiny armor in the stories she was reading as a child, and then the glow ceased like it wasn't even present from the start. He was smiling... A disarming smile like if he was the most powerful man in the world. No… In all the worlds combined. He looked at her, making her heart beat faster in her chest, for a reason that even she herself ignored ! Why wouldn't that treacherous muscle calm down, this man no, creature, is her familiar nothing else ! And then… He talked, breaking forever the moment.

"That's feels good to be invulnerable again ! But just for be sure..." He says looking for something around the room and it seemed finding what he was searching, wait... Why was he headed to the wall ? And why…? Oh no... He is going to punch the wall and hard !

"Saito wait !" Too late...

*ZAP !*

"What ?" Comes the characteristic sound of disbelief.

"Eh, eh… Yep, that works alright." He says nodding approvingly to himself holding up his unarmed hand. "So that proof, you want to see it or not ?" He asked simply, looking at her expectantly.

All she could barely do at this point was nodding while looking at him stupidly.


	4. Chapter 4 - An unexpected development

**A/N : For those who found where the title is from good job. I thought that phrase was fitting for this story. After all, that's basically what happens, in a nutshell...**

**Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.**

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Chapter 4 - An unexpected development :

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After a long moment unbelieving what she saw, and finally returning to sit back on her bed, Louise looked to Saito who was sitting again on the chair like if nothing happened.

"Is there something wrong Louise ?" He asked to her like if that was normal... Normal !?

"Wh-wha-what w-was that ?" She asked back.

"What do you mean ?" He responded.

"Don't play dumb with me !" She shout. "That light around you, and the scene you put up punching the wall !" She pointed to said wall, sporting a slight dent on it. "You even left a mark ! How can that be possible..?" She inquired weakly.

Saito who looked at the wall was kinda surprised.

"Oh my… I didn't thought the recoil would do that..." He says.

"R-recoil ?" The pink haired mage repeat. "What do you mean by that ? That wasn't a canon…" She asked confused.

"Oh..? So you do happens to have canons, therefore it must means gunpowder is of actuality in this world. Am I right ?" She nodded by the affirmative. "Interesting... Anyway, where were we again ? Ah yes, yes… The recoil. Well you see when an object gain a certain speed he acquires a force, that we call kinetic energy, in this case the object, my hand, had accumulated a certain momentum, therefore kinetic energy, which was suddenly stopped. Normally that wouldn't be a problem because the wall would have in the first time absorbed the energy, and in the second time returned the force against my hand, resulting in me hurting myself in the operation, because when a body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction of the first body. That's what we call Newton's Third Law. Before you ask, yes there is two others but that will be for another time... So basically in the end it would be like if I punched myself, but there is a factor that has to be accounted for, the shield..."

"The shield ? You mean that strange glowing light ?" She interrupted his explanation.

"Yes." He lifted a leg and hit slightly fast, but strongly enough the ground, making the shield appear briefly without arming the stone beneath. "That's a weaker and personal version of the ones which our spaceships are equipped of. It's systematically installed on every M.S.C. of each citizens registered in the E.C.G.A., and it's somehow mandatory that every citizens of the Alliance as to own one for protection. It's not exactly obligatory per se but if something would happen to a citizen, depending on the person's localisation it could take time before the rescuers can manage to do their jobs, meaning saving lives. And when a life is on the brink of death, time is of essence. When you are charged of the well being of trillions of people, well…  
One can understand the need to wear such a device.  
And it's not like that wasn't free, anyone can have the possibility to have one installed on them. That is if it's not already the case since technically we are all issued one at childhood. You see every parents are given the opportunity to equip their children in the early stages of their growth, of a basic model specially designed for babies very light and unobtrusive that adapts at the child's steady growth, it's to assure that every children of the Alliance are taken care of, that they do not suffer any kind of diseases, harm or worse. My parents have given my sister and I one, as their own parents did for them and so on. Then passed a certain age where the person is deemed mature enough, they can decide whether or not they want to remove it or keep it. Rarely one choose the former option, it's like one in a million, I think so anyway, and let's not forget that by the time it takes to reach such an age, a person is already used to it like if it's a part of their own body, that by each years one learn how to use it more and more, and that eventually he or she can have the possibility to upgrade it to an advanced model, just like the one I own.  
Anyway... Like I said everyone own a personal shield for protection in case of accidents, whether it may be falling or crashing from an aircar, or from a high point like a skyscraper or a mountain, or for high risk works like military. Even if their shields are more efficient. It also to some degree, enhance our strength against the cost of more energy, in case of emergency. Like if one where to be trapped under rocks or snow. That's very functional in our everyday lifes, even if that has it's limits, picture a big force like an exceptional explosion, well that would severaly damage the shield and certainly wound us, but fortunately the power needed would have to be quite tremendous, the likes you can't fathom so we have kinda nothing to worry about, and he has a very fast recharging capacity so…" He looked at her and she was again twitching. "What ?" He asked oh so stupidly.

"By the Founder who are you and where do you come from !?" She screamed.

"I've told you already didn't I ? From Tokyo, Japan, situated in the Asian-"

"I know that already ! What I meant to ask it's where... That Alliance thing what is it ? And what do you mean by trillions ?" She demand.

"Ah yes I see what you mean... Well that's about the proof I wanted to show you... M.S.C. can you show up an holographic picture of the Earth ?"

"Yes sir." Answered the device.

No magic... Who was he thinking he was fooling around with that familiar... That thing was of course enchanted, there was no way that could be something else ! And that was again more evident when the strange magical artefact was doing what, to Louise was the most impressive act of magic. A sphere made entirely of light appeared into thin air. She was beautiful, a sphere of blue, white, green and yellow colors took form above that thing. She mistook it for a mere sphere until details started quickly to took shape, what she was taking for a simple blue color was in fact oceans, seas, and lakes with rivers here and there, a simple white was in fact ice and snow, greens patches was actually forests and jungles and what she thought was a mere yellow was actually deserts. That wasn't a sphere but… A turning world...

"Wow… That's beautiful..." She says softly.

"Thank you very much. I'm glad to hear that my world, the planet Earth, please you." He says proudly. "For information my country, Japan, is here…" He pointed to a long archipelago against what looked like a big, really big continent.

"Here ? But that's so small !"

"That comment hurt a little you know…" He deadpanned.

"But it's true ! And it looks so cute..." She says holding both hands against her chest.

'Cute ? Well she's still a girl...' He thought.

"And where is your city ? Tokyo right ?" Asked Louise exited.

"Yes that right. Hold on I'll show you. M.S.C. zoom on Tokyo please." He order his device.

"Roger sir."

After he says another strange word, she will have to ask about their meaning afterwards, that world, Earth, became bigger until they couldn't see her entirely and that Japan country was much more detailed, an island was coming closer and a big, but truly big city was shown. She was made of metal and glass, certain what looked like buildings were so high in the sky they were almost touching it…

'So that what he meant by skyscraper...' She thought with awe.

But the most troubling fact was that this city, it seemed, was expending outward onto the sea. Like if the very roads and buildings were growing on the water. Not unlike a lilypad.

"There you goes Louise... I present you... The Tokyo Metropolis ! On the Honshū island, the capital of Japan !" He proudly smiled with a bit of nostalgia seeing his birthplace.

"Metropolis ? What does that mean ?" She asked blinking.

"Simply that millions of people habits here."

"Million ! But how ? How can a city sustain to millions of people each day ?" Asked Louise her head starting to spin.

"Oh we managed to without any problems since many centuries don't worry... But for your information know that Tokyo aren't the biggest city of the world. That there are city with billions of people around the world... Hum… Louise are you alright ?" He asked concerned.

Indeed poor Louise was having the worst headache she had in her all life... The mere amount of inhabitant in his world was astonishing... And the worst he wasn't even lying ! She was seeing it with her very own eyes ! Just one city could put to shame the whole population of Halkeginia ! And he was from here ? Oh Founder...

"Yes… Yes… I'm alright don't worry... I'm alright... It's just that it's kinda overwhelming to know that kind of information. But don't worry ! I'm alright ! I'm alright..." She answer weakly.

"Okay... But if just that is enough to shake you like that, I don't know if that's a good idea to reveal you more…" He stated still concerned.

Just that… Because there is more !? Oh Founder that's going to be a long day. At least tomorrow is a day off.

"No I'm fine ! Really ! Don't worry about it ! Come on... Show me the next thing." Answered the mage bravely.

But he saw that she wasn't ready... That if he kept going on deeper into more details about his origins, she could be distressed about what was coming after. He's mere existence could turn her mind upside down ! And let's not talk about the rest… The very vision she had of her own world would be shattered forever. And he refused to take a so life-changing decision for her, at least not yet, when she would be ready.

"I think it's better to go at a slower pace…" He started.

"What ? No ! I want to know more about it !" She nearly begs.

"I said no. M.S.C. turn off the hologram." At his word the globe disappeared the same way he came to be. In an flash. "We will continue that at a later date, I think it's better to go step by step..."

"You think I cannot handle it ?" She asked sounding hurt. "That I'm too stupid to understand ?"

"No... Absolutely not. It's just that what I know, what I can share with you, would be too much to take to anyone in your situation in one time... And you aren't an exception. I will, when I judge the time is right, explain you everything I swear... But for now it's late..." Yes in fact their discussion had taken much longer he thought it would be, and now it was past night-time. "So I suggest we take some sleep because, before I wasn't entirely lying when I said I was tired... Okay ?"

She was still angry about his decision but seeing that, indeed the sky behind the window was dark, and a sudden weariness took her, making her yawn.

"Alright familiar..." She said sleepily. "But you better hold your promise and soon tell me everything else later..."

At these words, she started to suddenly undress, causing a taken of guard young man to quickly stand up and turn around staring at the wall a little red.

"Whaa… Eh ! A little consideration here ! I'm a man damn it !" Shout the embarrassed young man.

"It's simply because you being a familiar-"

"Eh ! I thought we already had this discussion !?" He exclaims.

"Yes, yes…"

'She must do that because I've pissed her…' Thought Saito.

After hearing the sound of shuffling clothes hiting the ground she talked to him.

"There I'm done. Take those with the others in the basket and go wash them..." She order pointing to said full of dirty laundry always sleepily, open the bed and lie down. Her back facing him.

"Seriously ? There aren't servants for this job ?" Hearing no answer he figured she was already fast asleep, or ignoring him. 'Mataku… That girl got some nerves... Anyway...' Thought Saito.

After his little rambling, he took her uniform and leave it with the others clothes in the basket, deciding she wasn't serious, at least he hoped, and headed to the window. He saw her paisible sleeping face and then looked outside in the distance. From the window, he could see outside the castle walls, there were grassy plains. Across the plains, illuminated by moonlight, he could also see a tall mountain range. Over to his right was a vast expanse of dense forest. He then averted his gaze upward onto the night sky and saw the celestial bodies, Saito let out a sigh.

'Two moons eh..? Yep I'm definitely not on Earth anymore. If I was from two centuries back I would be freaking out... I am a little for being honest. It's not the first time I'm off world but that was willingly, with the means to come back home, but this time I've literally been abducted by aliens... Just like the stories from two centuries back. Well at least they looks human but that doesn't change the fact that they aren't from Earth… And this isn't one of the colonies either so… Where am I ? It's impossible that I'm on another planet somewhere in the entire Universe because there is humanoids lifeform on it, even more they looks exactly humans ! And the probabilities of that being possible is basically zero. So where..? There's humans who speaks french and countries who have almost the same name than on Earth...

Wait. No… That can't be… I wouldn't have by any chance... Crossed dimensions isn't ? Now that I'm thinking about it in fact it's the only explanation possible ! That darkness before... It's because I was actually crossing the void between dimensions ! I experienced an inter-dimensional displacement, to an another dimension... But then, the vortex's module is useless ! Even if I would be able to open one that thing is not programmed to do that ! Yes we did find a way to use the wormholes present around us, in the space-time fabric, to travel across space freely and quickly with our M.S.C.s and other means like our spaceships when we needed so, but that's it… These gadgets weren't thought for that kind of utilisation. Only a few laboratories around the Alliance has that kind of technology ! And let's not talk about the disproportionate amount of energy, or exotic matter even required for involved ! And I possess neither of them ! That's it, I'm done for…' He thought miserably.

"Sigh... It doesn't matter now... It's late so I should get some sleep." He whisper lowly heading to the hay pile.

In the morning he woke up by the call of the sun and did a good stretch accompanied by a yawn. At first he didn't remember where he was but soon noticing Louise, the memories of yesterday's events came to him.

'Ah yes... She summoned me here… I'm now a magical familiar... Sigh… What time is it ?' He looked to the bottom right corner of his HUD and saw a little surprising hour. 'Hum… 22:17 ? Oh yes different time zone... I have to fix that...' He stood up and headed toward the window, seeing his new master still asleep he opened it, making the fresh morning air enter the warm room.

"M.S.C. recalculate a new hour from the sun's position please." He order his device.

"Roger sir." The artificial intelligence answered back. "Processing new data, calculating... New hour set."

Indeed. On his HUD, Saito could see now displayed the new hour, and it was more accurate now to the actual situation.

'Ah… 09:42 okay... Wow… I really was tired for sleeping that much, not so physically despite the shock of crossing dimensions, the pain from my contracting or the analgesics, but more likely the mental toll of experiencing all of this.'

He propped himself against the window frame and gazed outside. This world looked so much like his own, seemingly same sky, same plants and animals as far his eyes could see, and he could see very, very far. Then he remembered what he saw yesterday. The red flaming big lizard, that strange giant eyeball, not to forgot the rest of the strange creatures that paraded besides their new masters, and of course the most imposing being of all amongst the others, the blue dragon... He allways adored them. Be they eastern or western. Be they represented with six or four members. He was allways fascinated. When he saw it the other day, it was akin to see a dinosaur for the first time in a family trip with his parents, little sister, uncle, aunt and cousins, except this time it was more intense because, dinosaurs had a valid reason to be. To exist. But this dragon didn't. It was simply against everything Saito ever learned, that what modern society ever taught him.  
He sighed again, decidedly he was doing this a lot those times. He then turned around, his back resting against the window frame, and observed for a moment silently the young girl before him. The source of his earlier misadventures. He looked at her attentively and he wondered, how a girl no more older than his own little sister, could be the cause of so many things. She was stirring on her bed, the cold air of the morning slowly but surely waking her.

"Wake up sunshine. It's a brand new day..." Says Saito loud enough to pull her out of the arms of Morpheus.

"What..?" She moaned sleepy with a yawn. "What time is it..?" She asked barely awake.

"09:43 it's time to wake up." Answer the familiar.

"Ah… 09:43…" She repeat while turning around and closing her eyes to fall asleep again.

Saito was patiently waiting that the information makes is way through the foggy brain of the still asleep mage. Until the information was received. And with big open eyes she finally awoken.

"Wait ! How come 09:43 !? Who are you !?" She asked jumping out of her bed reaching for the wand she left on her nightstand last night. Having successfully reached her wand she pointed it at Saito, obviously ignoring who he was. "I said, who are you !?" She shouted to the young man.

"Holà ! Calm down ! Don't you recognize me ? That hurts you know... After the night we had and all…" Saito answered feigning be wounded to the heart.

"The night... Wait." She couldn't see him perfectly because of her still asleep bleary eyes, and the sun behind him, but she saw on the left arm of the supposed intruder glowing blue lines who makes her think of yesterday's events. And everything came back to her. "Familiar..?"

"Yep it's me ! Well in fact it's Saito but anyway... You slept alright ?" He asked cheerfully.

She blinked some times and finally she could see him entirely.

"Hum… Yes ?" She adventure an answer. "And you ?" She asked back automatically putting down her wand back on the nightstand.

"Was fine... Well as fine as sleeping on hay can be. So what's today's program ?" Asked Saito.

"Today's program ?" She repeat stupidly. "Oh ! Hum… Nothing, there is no class today, so we're just going to take some breakfast for now." Answer the now fully aware girl.

"Okay I gonna wait for you outside..." He started to walk to the door, hiding again his device under hid sleeve.

"Wait... Where do you think your going ? You have to dress me." She stated.

"Dress you ? What did we talk about yesterday already ? That I'm not your slave... We're partner."

He didn't let her the time to talk back and left the room. Leaving her gaping at the door for a few seconds.

"I could allways try..." She dejectedly says. After ten minutes of waiting she at last joined him in the corridor, fully dressed in a new and clean uniform, she casted him an upset look closed her door and walked to the stairway. But she was interrupted in her track by the sudden opening of an adjacent door, from where a girl step out. He recognized this girl, she was one of the first person he encountered at his summoning. She was dressed exactly the same way than yesterday... Copper colored knee high boots, a black skirt showing just the right amount of flesh for enticing healthy young men, a white really tight dress shirt with two undone buttons showing a good part of her cleavage, a black cape holden by the same golden caps than Louise had and, what seemed a gold necklace. She was beautiful but not the same way Louise was, this girl was just sexy. Or at the very least the personification of the word itself. Her fiery red hair who seemed made of fire, her dark tanned skin showing she was a young and healthy woman, her height a little shorter than him, and her bustline who was well… Very endowed. She was breathing sexyness. But that wasn't all it was to say about that girl... Not at all. Her face was just also strikingly attractive, her red lips were gorgeous, but her eyes... Her light brown almost golden eyes, you could lost yourself in those.

'Dangerous, very dangerous... If I don't want any problems with this succubus I better keep my distance...' Thought Saito gulping.

"Oh ! Good morning Louise !" Exclaims cheerfully the girl.

"Good morning, Kirche..."

The girl whose name apparently was Kirche, noticed him.

"Oh my ! Where are my manners ! Good morning to you too interesting familiar whose name I forgot sorry..." She made her inquiry for his name quite obvious.

"Hi- Saito Hiraga." He answered nearly saying his name the Japanese way.

"Saito ! What a lovely name ! A human familiar... You will never cease to amuse us little Louise."

"Shut up…" Talk back the already pissed girl.

'And it's not even noon yet…' Thought gloomy the young man.

"Well me too I have summoned a familiar, Flame ! Come here my boy !" Shout Kirche into her room.

What was responding to the call was that giant red lizard from yesterday. The one who makes Saito think about that video game… Oh how was it called again ? He'll check out the M.S.C. later. The lizard was stopping at the feet of his master. A wave of heat hiting them.

"Bloody hell... What's that thing ?" Asked Saito to no one in particular.

"You never saw a salamander before ?" Answer Kirche. "Well count yourself lucky because this one cames from the Fire Dragon Mountain ! He is a rare specimen you know, so wanted that in the collectioner's market he's priceless."

"Salamander…? Mmm… Nope that ain't ring a bell. But I could swear I'm close to it…" Saito says to himself. "That end by mander too… Argh… Whatever !"

Exclaims Saito under the sight of the tree witnesses who took that outburst for nonsense.

"Anyway Louise that how a proper familiar should be ! Isn't Flame ? Oh yes that's a good boy..." She says while scratching it, or him, under a scaled chin making him emitting sparks of flames.

'Oi… That ain't a dog you know... And that's dangerous too ! You could set alight the whole place !' Thought Saito deadpanning at first but panicking at last.

"Well my familiar too his a proper one !" Shouted Louise.

"Sweetie... He may be cute but he's still a mere human commoner."

"Oi I'm right here you know !" He exclaims.

"Ah, ah ! The way he is reacting is the same as you ! Well you know what they say... As familiar, as master..." She haughty says with a rictus.

"Zerbst..." Growled Louise.

"Anyway that was nice to see you and your intriguing familiar, have a nice day !"

She says closing her door and striding away down the stairway with a flourish of her cape, her familiar dutifully following her like a big scaly dog wagging his tail, a strange spectacle for Saito.

"Why her…" Louise glared to the departing girl shacking her fists to her.

"So hum... I presume she's the enemy ?" Asked Saito.

"Yes so don't even think to approach her…" Answered angrily Louise.

"Yes, yes, don't worry… That though didn't even cross my mind."

"Good... Argh ! What does she think she is !? Her alone was enough to make me lose my patience." Says Louise crossing her arms. "Just because she has those..." She mumbled.

'Those ? What's she talking about ?' Thought Saito while observing her until he gets it. "If you talk about your breast difference that's nothing to be ashamed of after all you're much younger than her…"

"What are you talking about ? We are the same age !?" She proclaimed indignantly.

"Huh what..? The same... Wait. You're actually seventeen ?" He asked surprised.

"Yes ! Wait... How old did you think I was ?" She asked tapping her foot.

"Hum… He, he… That's funny you see." He started. "Thirteen or fifteen..." He finished with an embarrassed smile.

"…" She stared at him with a look who makes him gulp. "Your lucky I'm too hungry." She says while heading to the stairway.

Having forgotten his shield for a moment he thought that indeed, he was really lucky. He sighed of relief and followed her swearing himself to think before talking, especially around her.

After downing the stairs and left the tower, they were headed to the central one, where apparently all the lunches where taken. On the way he saw many students coming to and fro in the courtyards, this place was really an academy. Upon reaching the central tower he saw before the giant doors, many creatures certainly familiars eating in peace together. That wasn't spectacular in itself but seeing so many beasts from diverses place in the food chain eating together their respective food without seeking to devour themselves each other was impressive. He saw among them the same dragon of yesterday's summoning. He was eating in a big wooden bowl with inside what seemed like raw meat. For a dragon that wasn't surprising but the way he ate it like a big reptilian cat was quite troubling. After that Saito was nearing the doors the dragon suddenly stopped in the mist of his eating. Like if sensing something in his surrounding he raised his long scaly neck and sighted the human familiar. They crossed sight and Saito stopped instantly in his tracks.

'What again ?' Thought Saito gulping.

The dragon didn't move, yet, but for Saito that was very akin to be spotted by a lion. He didn't dare to move fearing that, if he did, the mythical beast would charge him. Louise hearing him gulping, remarked he wasn't following her and turned back to see what her familiar was again doing to see him in a very intriguing predicament.

"What are you doing again Saito ?" She asked sounding annoyed.

"Shh..." Saito ushered to his master.

"You ush me ?" She asked indignantly.

"The. Dragon." Answer Saito mumbling.

"Dragon ?" She looks the direction he does and understood what he meant. "Oh that ? This is the familiar of Tabitha, he's harmless. Come on." She explained while starting to move back to the doors yet for stopping again, seeing that Saito didn't bulge a bit. "Sigh... Saito ! Come on !"

"Shh..! He's gonna hear you !" He whispered more loudly he intended to. "Gasp !" He blocked his mouth with his right hand but too late.

"Kyu ?" Blinked the dragon.

He made a big step, Saito two backwards. The beast started to sniffing the air toward the human familiar.

'Oi… Why are you sniffing me ? I'm not food !' He panicky thought. 'Eh, eh ! Why are you... Oh no. No !'

But sadly for him the dragon wouldn't simply leave him alone and made a jump with a grace he didn't know he could have, toward him, reducing the little distance they had, Saito braced himself for the impact until... Nothing. He dared to look up to see the blue dragon standing before him, bowing down to sniff something in his inner left jacket pocket.

"Wh-what ? You smelled something interesting ?" Asked tentatively the shaken up familiar.

"Kyuiii ! Kyuiii" Answered it seemed the dragon.

Saito reached for the zipper of his jacket, pulled it down and searched inside. After a few seconds he found the familiar sensation of synthetic packaging and took it. That was a simple forgotten candy bar. He blinked a few times trying to remember when he had put that here, and then decided it didn't matter.

"That's what you want ?" Asked Saito.

"Kyuiii !" Answered back the dragon.

"Oh…" Deciding that his life was worth more than a simple bar he gave in. "Alright... Hang on I'm opening it… There !"

Seeing his query being answered the dragon opened widely his jaw full of razor sharp teeth. Saito throwns the bar inside, said bar being swallowed instantly. After a few seconds, the dragon started to purr.

"You liked it ?"

"Kyuiii !" Answered the dragon who then licked happily his feeder.

"Yes, yes. Your a good boy…" Laughed Saito.

"Kyu !" Exclaims indignantly the dragon.

"Nani ? You're a girl ?"

"Kyuiii !" The dragon seemed to nod sadly.

"Oh ! Sorry ! What I wanted to mean it's, you're an adorable girl..." He rectify patting her snout.

"Kyuiii ! Kyuiii ! Kyu !" She says happy of making a new friend, showing it by licking him again launching another round of laughs.

On the side, Louise who was observing the play couldn't believe what she saw... Her familiar had befriend a dragon !

"No way… He made a dragon friend and on his first day here… But who is he ?"

She asked to no one in particular while other students around them looked about the little group and the unexpected development.


	5. Chapter 5 - A little bit show off

**A/N : Wow so much people had taken an interest in this story already ? Thank you guys ! Anyway onto the chapter, I hope you'll like it !**

**Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.**

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Chapter 5 - A little bit show off.

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After having departed of his new female dragon friend, and returned back to a flabbergasted Louise, not that he truly knew why, they finally reached the Academy of Magic's dining room. Admittedly if one could call that a room, that place was more of a little hall. For Saito's standards. With three strikingly long tables who were arranged parallel to each other facing the doors. Each one looked like it could easily seat an hundredth people, that was probably the amount of students here. The table where Louise was aimed to and all the second years sat was the middle one. Overseeing the three, on an upper stage with two little wooden stairways on each sides leading to it, was another table placed to profile by the doors, where many professors were seated having a convivial breakfast and at the same time watching over their charges.

Apparently the students could be identified by the color of their capes. On the left-hand table by the doors where some students who looked a little older and wore purple capes, probably third years. One the middle one obviously were the second years so by elimination, the right-hand table was for the first years who sported brown capes.

The dining room was sublime, the floor was made of what seemed stylised checkerboard marble with golden lining, on the ceiling was many golden chandeliers and by the walls where little statues of all shapes and sizes adorned on stones pillar.

'I wouldn't put it past those guys if they were enchanted...' Thought Saito.

All of this was beautiful but what was on the tables themselves was just as spectacular, a true banquet. Meats, vegetables and fruits, with delicacies of different kinds, breads, desserts and so on, with also diverses beverages… Of which included wine. A lot of wine.

'Oi… They're children you know ? That's not good at their ages to drink too much of that stuff. Oh yes I forgot, middle age based society. But even so…' He thought shaking his head.

He followed her passing between many students already seated, which a few looked to their way whispering among themselves, that wasn't surprising they must be the gossip of the week. She stopped at an empty chair staring at him.

"What ?" He asked dumbly.

"My chair..." She stated.

"Yes and..?" He asked again.

"Pull her back..." She ordered, and seeing him raise a brow. "Please..." She whispered indicating discreetly with her eyes the crowd of students looking at them.

'Hum… This must be for appearance... Those brats… Okay I'll humor them. For now...' Thought Saito unamused.

He compelled to her order and pulled back the chair, with a properly placed bow.

"Master..." Says Saito with an hint of sarcasm.

"Thank you." She haughty says with a flourish of her cape, while sitting down. "Truthfully..." She carefully whispered humble in the end along he pushed back the chair.

"Mmm…"

Now that she was seated he was going to do the same and pulled back another chair at her right but stopped himself to sit down on it when he saw her shake the head.

"Oh what again ?" Asked Saito starting to lose his, already, thin patience.

"You can't sit there only the nobles are allowed to…" Answered Louise with again a whisper.

"And where do you expect me to eat ? On the ground ?" Asked sarcastically the familiar.

"Well…" Answered the master delicately indicating again with her eyes to the ground.

Saito lazily followed her eyes and saw something which makes his heart miss nearly a beat. On the very ground itself was simply siting… A bowl. A mere bowl who seemed to look back at him with disrespect. He took a deep breath.

"Oi..." He started. "I really hope for you that's a bad joke..." Hearing no answer he keeps going on. "Are you fucking kidding me !?" He exclaims. "No… Now way. I'm not going to eat on the ground ! Pulling your chair that, I can do it, but eating on the ground is a big no-no ! For what do you take me for ? A dog ?"

"Familiar please calm down !"

That was the last straw.

"Familiar eh..? You know what ? Like it seems you have not taken what we've talked about yesterday seriously... Sigh... No. No in fact you know what ? I've got enough and I've better things to do. Have a nice meal, master." He spite with venom, leaving her heading to the doors.

"No Saito wait !"

But too late he was gone, opening and closing the doors with a loud bang leaving her under the snickers of her peers.

"Stupid familiar..." She says softly.

Outside Saito was walking his hands in his pockets to nowhere in particular. It was still quite early in the morning but the sun was already high, a little wind was blowing and the birds could be heard singing their eternal songs. But despite all of that, he wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. She had angered him. He was pissed and hungry, that in itself wasn't really important because he could allways ask his M.S.C. something to eat now that it had a full energy capacity, but nonetheless he was still pissed.

'Sigh… That's not going to lead me anywhere to rant about it… But I sincerely though that... I know she did that because of those brats back there but still... Anyway !' He thought while stopping in his tracks. 'Now that I'm thinking about it I should start the repair of the vortex's module. It's a long shot but who knows ?'

He slide up his left sleeve, showing the device still activated and ready for utilisation.

"Mmm… But this time I will give just enough energy for it to be repaired not everything. M.S.C. transfert 10 % of the energy supply to the vortex's module, tell me the progress and show it to me on the HUD." He order the device.

"Roger sir. Energy transfer process... Energy transfer done. Module : Vortex, structural state, 19.2 %." Says the device.

"19.2 % ? Sigh... That's gonna take some time… A lot of time… Anyway. Now that I'm at it, what's are the mobility of the thrusters with the actual energy level ?"

"The thrusters can actually do space travel, and reach their maximum speed." Answered the device.

"Really ? Wow that's the real good news of the day. Then now that she and I are separated for a moment, let's do some sightseeing." He then headed to a secluded place behind the central tower, one of the corridor linking it to a yellow one, the Earth Tower he supposed, and a few bushes. "Okay... Deploy the thrusters !" He ordered to his device.

"Roger sir." The computer answerd dutifully.

And in the same way he ended up in this world, two whites circles emerged around his ankles, and the thrusters appeared. He then heard the familiar quiet but deep humming of the anti-grav field coming from his boots, a bluish glow following the sound under them. With a little impulse from his legs he started to raise up from the ground, floating weightless and still in the air, and with a simple command from his mind, the ion plasmic propelling system integrated inside the very devices activated reacting at his every whims, energy accumulated under his boots and then, he took off. Plasmic exhaust flowed from the two large conical hole like apparatus, fixed inside the boots at each end on both devices where the thrusters did their job, slightly scorching, but not burning, the green grass beneath him.

How he loved this sensation... The ancient dream of mankind since they saw birds flying freely in the sky had, at least, come true. After many years of researchs and tries, that freedom was their. Quickly ten meters became twenty, fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand and so on... Until he was no more than a little dot from the ground as he disappeared through the clouds.

The ground was diminishing, the castle big in the beginning was very quickly just a blurring detail until he was a white spot. He raised his head, seeing the cloud coming closer and closer until he broke through them, leaving just a clear blue sky… The altimeter included in his HUD, activated automatically along with the thrusters, was showing more than 10 km of altitude. If he were this high without protection, by now he would have difficulties to even breath but he wasn't.

The external temperature and atmospheric pressure were quickly dropping down, but fortunately the shield didn't just protect it's owner of external injuries, but also kept a stable temperature and the magnetic-repulsive field was keeping at bay the dangerous particles and other radiations coming from interstellar unknown sources but it also, with the help of the M.S.C. of course, created a nominal atmospheric pressure composed of common gazes present on an Earth like planet, allowing it's wearer to breathe permitting survival in space.

'Almost there, almost there...' Thought Saito while looking at the altimeter.

Indeed, on it was shown by now 90 km of altitude, the bright blue sky having since long make way to a darker blue, almost black, sky and a few stars could already be spotted. He then commanded to his thrusters to decelerate and inverse the push. He was slowly stabilizing until he was orbiting this alien world. Only his breathing could be heard, a slow and calm breath. That wasn't the first time he'd done such a thing but he was still happy. The bad mood from just ten minutes ago vanished, and now he was admiring the view, a dark tapestry punctuated of pure white dots. He then commanded his thrusters to turn him around and he saw an always breathtaking vision...

A beautiful blue planet was before him.

He looked to where he was coming from and saw something he honestly swear he could admire every time he opened a geographical program. The European continent... Albeit slightly different in some point, for instance the Iberian Peninsula was missing, the French Republic was different, the Italian Peninsula too it was still somehow resembling but a good portion was missing, the Hellenic Republic was also different, what's on Earth was the Sea of Crete and the Aegean Sea, along the mainland and islands of the Greece archipelago, wasn't here. In place was a peninsula and what's bordered it, the Republic of Turkey was here now a little sea, speaking of which the Black Sea was now gone, replaced by a emerged soil and a part of the main landmass. But he directed his sight back on that version of Europe and saw something, curious... The British Isles were gone. In place of it was a unique island, but that wasn't the more curious thing to it no, not at all... It seemed the island was higher than the rest of the continent. He will have to ask Louise about it. At the east where the Slavic based countries should be present was in place a desert. A giant desert. He could very well overweight the Sahara, and speaking of which in place of the African continent was just water… A whole ocean with just a few isles going from tiny patch of land like Long Island, to ones as big as Spain and Iceland, or even bigger ones as India or Greenland here and there with various coral reefs of many shades. It almost looked like the whole continent had suffered of a curious subsidence.

'So… That's how another dimension looks like huh ? Wow... A whole new world entirely despite the fact that, technically, it's still Earth. Mmm… I wonder if they have a counterpart of Japan here..?' Thought Saito.

And so he commanded his thrusters to accelerate in the direction of this world's east and after a few minutes he was there. Beyond the desert was a lavish green, unfortunately there weren't what he was seeking for but still the east part of the continent harbored many jungles and landscapes of green trees and plains. He could see with the enhanced vision provided by his HUD, big cities, not the kind one would find on Earth in the early centuries but more like in the late 18th or early 19th but still there was humans settlements.

'Interesting. By what I can see they are far more advanced technologically speaking... But how can that be ? I mean, yeah there is a desert between both societies but c'mon... By what I can see the eastern possess the means to cross fairly easily the desert, so why don't they ? Hum... Maybe there is more than a desert that separate them. Or maybe they just want to keep for themselves, or just don't want to have anything to do with the Halkeginians. I wouldn't be really surprised... Oh well, in the future I'll check this out but I bet it's the latter, seeing how they treat strangers...' Thought Saito while looking to his watch. 'Oh it's that late already ? She must have finished eating by now... I should head back, too bad I wanted to check America's counterpart of this world, oh well I guess that will be for another time...'

So Saito commanded again to his thrusters to take him back to where he was coming from and after a mere ten minutes and a movemented atmospheric entry he saw again the academy, the only problem is there were many people down here and he wanted to avoid drawing some unwanted attention. So he looked for a place where nobody could see him and saw one, just a little problem. That was going to be tricky to pull off.

'Okay, okay... At the speed I'm going they wouldn't be able to see me coming, so I'll just have to go down, pull back, graze the ground outside the walls and then stop dead at is feet.' Planned Saito focusing in the task.

Then he did exactly what he wanted to do. The ground was coming closer and closer, the Ground Proximity Warning System or GPWS, was buzzing on his HUD, one hundred meters became quickly very quickly fifty meters, ten meters and then he ordered basically even screamed in his mind to his allways faithful thrusters to pull back and… He did it… The ground was passing by in a blurr below him, the grass and rocks just fuzzy shades and the exterior wall of the castle was nearing fast so he breaked. The perfect mix of technology of the 23rd century and technic amassed in years of experience were doing their magic, in a cloud of dust he was stopping exactly where he wanted. His heart was beating in his chest, that was normal for someone who came close to death, well no really because his shield would have absorbed the big of the impact but still... That was allways a thrilling experience for someone practicing time to time extreme sports. Hovering at the feet of the wall moving still in the air, almost floating with the help of the anti-gravity field his thrusters generated, he took a deep breath and slowly rose up the wall his thrusters barely glowing, propping slightly his head to make sure no one was there and seeing it was safe to go on the other side, he did a sudden burst of his thrusters and jumped the wall, for finally landing on the ground and quickly withdrawn his thrusters nobody the wiser.

'Phew ! What a time ! I've always loved the adrenaline rush that I felt doing these kinds of things... Sigh... Yep. That's a bliss, I feel better now... Anyway ! No that I'm back I better find that girl, she must be somewhere near the dining room that was just thirty minutes ago anyway...' He thought while heading to said place hiding again his device.

By now many students, unaware of what the human familiar was doing mere minutes before, were done to take their breakfasts and minded their own business. He was walking down the path of students he passed and closed his eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the effect of the adrenaline coursing through his veins until he bumped against someone hearing a faint zapping and a girlish cry, blinking stupidly in surprise he looked down and saw a girl lying back on the well kept grass.

"Tee, tee, tee…" She said sitting up while patting her sore behind.

She was next looking to whom she deserved her fall and suddenly stilled herself, fear in her eyes.

"Ano… Are you alright ?" Saito asked bending down slightly while presenting his hand to help the girl to stand back up.

Upon seeing him move she instantly bowed down, visibily afraid of him.

"E-ex-excuse me good sir I didn't do it on purpose !" She profusely apologized.

"Nani ?" He says blinking stupidly.

"It's my fault I wasn't looking to where I was walking !"

"What ? Oh… I got it..." Says Saito. 'She must think I'm a noble... Poor girl she's terrorized, she shouldn't be... Damn those bastards…' Thought Saito pitiful. "No stand up I'm not a noble don't worry..." He admitted.

"W-what ?" She says daringly looking at him. Seeing him smiling she relaxed slightly. "Really ?"

"Yes, yes… Don't worry. But more importantly are you alright ?" He asked concerned and presenting his hand again.

She tentatively took it and he helped her to rise up. She was cute. Truthfully cute... She was dressed exactly like the standard maid would be. Brown shoes, black socks, a maid outfit going down to her ankles, an apron, a piece of orange colored cloth holden by a blue stone button on her neck and a white stylized headband. But the most notable fact were, not only her incredible bosom which, while it could put to shame many young girls of her age, was accented by the tight clothes she had, but her face… She had beautiful blue eyes and short black hair, if he didn't knew better he would swear she was of japanese descendance.

"So… Everything's okay ?" Asked Saito.

"Yes thank you..." She answered with a cute little voice.

"Im Hiraga Saito, euh I'm mean... Saito Hiraga." He presented himself. 'Damn, must be because she looks japanese...' Saito thought afterward.

"Saito Hiraga ? That's a very uncommon name by these lands…" She then noticed the branding on his left backhand. "Oh sorry ! I didn't pay attention, are you by any chance the famous human familiar summoned yesterday ?" She asked holding her hands against her chest.

"I'm famous ? That's a first.." He says surprised. "Yes it is I, and your name is ?" Asked Saito.

"Oh sorry ! My name is Siesta, Mr. Hiraga." She answered bowing down.

"No, no, no... Don't bow to me please, and especially call me Saito, just Saito. Hum... By pure curiosity how come I'm famous ?" Asked Saito.

"Since your appearance in the academy, the fact that a mage summoned a human familiar has became the talk of the serving staff… And also the nobles too talked about it too of course." Answered Siesta.

'Like I said, the gossip of the week...' He thought. "Ah alright thanks. Well I'm not longer going to bother you in your tasks." He nodded respectively. "Have a nice day and I hope we will meet again."

"Yes me to-" But she was interrupted by the grumbling of his stomach. "Oh my are you hungry ?" She asked innocently.

"Huh yes… I didn't have time to eat this morning... He, he…" Saito answered while scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Please follow me this way !" She says taking his hand and leading him away.

"Oh you don't need to bother with it..."

"Yes, I insist follow me." She says quite stubbornly.

So he followed her to the central tower but this time he didn't go by the double doors of the dining room but, to a more discreet one on the left side of the building. Inside was a kitchen, actually empty of any staff besides Siesta herself, she made sign at Saito to sit down on a table, the only one of the room in fact, the kitchen was surly the place where the staff personnel lunched. He sat down on a little chair, while watching her head to the stoves, on it was a slowly boiling pot with inside a ladle. She took a bowl, and poured it with the contents, that really smelled good for the young man. Next she took a wooden spoon and returned to him, handing the warm food with a bright smile.

"There you goes Mr. Hiraga, hum I mean Saito..." She quickly rectify herself.

"Thanks Siesta that's smell really good." He says taking the offered bowl.

"Oh it's truly nothing !" She says wagging her hands. "That's just the leftovers of yesterday's dinner the nobles didn't finish prepared into a stew…"

He took a good portion of the stew and gobbled it, enjoying the feeling of a warm tasty meal.

"Well the chef is a really gifted person to make something so good after just some leftovers." Says Saito after having swallowed the stew.

"Thank you I will tell him, now eat there is even seconds if you want." She says.

And after ten minutes or so and another portion of stew he was done, patting his now full belly.

"Ah ! That was good I'm sated... Thanks a lot Siesta, you're the first person to have been so nice to me and treat me like a human since I ended up here, thank you..." Says Saito smiling.

"O-oh… That must be an over exaggeration I-I didn't…"

"No." He interrupted her. "I mean it. Thank you and if there is anything I can do for you just tell me. I'll be glad to help." He solemnly says.

"W-well what about now ? I have to distribute desserts for the nobles." She shyly asked.

To her demand he stood up. "Alright you can count on me !" He punched slightly his chest.

At that she give him a bashful smile, she was really a kind-hearted girl, his master should take some lessons…

After taking a tray full of delicious desserts, they headed together to a small place in the corner of a court. Saito pushed carefully the full of cakes and delicacies tray, which Siesta served to the nobles present. They were seated at pure white carved stones tables, on chairs made seemingly of the same material. Some were alone, some accompanied, and some were with their own familiars. But one of the closest table in particular stood out, or more precisely a student seated to it. He was nervous, really nervous, like If he was awaiting something bad to happen at any moment. Suspicious. The boy was conversing with other students, talking about girls in a animated way. And if on cue, Siesta approached a neighboring table handing to a couple a cake. She then made to head back to the tray when she saw a heart shaped bottle filled of a purple liquid fall from his pockets.

"Hum... Excuse me sir your bottle has fallen…" She dutifully says while picking up the bottle and handing it to him.

"What maid ? That's not mine." Answered the blonde boy dismissing her.

Remarking the bottle, the other students he was talking to perked up.

"He Guiche ! Isn't this the perfume Montmorency allways makes ?

"Yes ! That vivid purple color is the trademark of Montmorency that she only mixes for herself !"

"So to have something like that to fall out of your pocket, Guiche, means that you're going out with Montmorency now, right?"

"No wait, listen to me. I'm saying this for the sake of her reputation, but..."

As Guiche was about to say more, a girl, who wore a brown cape and had been standing behind them with in her hands what it seemed a soufflé, walked over to Guiche's seat. She was a cute girl sporting chestnut-colored hair. According to the color of the cape she wore, she was a first year student.

"Master Guiche is that true..?" She asked her voice trembling.

"Katie ! My beloved no that's a misunderstanding ! The only one I hold dear in my heart is you and only you..." He says in a suave voice.

"Liar ! I've heard that you and Miss Montmorency are going out but didn't wanted to believe it…" She says crying by now. "But that perfume is enough proof !"

Then she dropped her soufflé and slapped him, hard. He was watching her go with big eyes and a redding cheek. The commotion had interested all the other people sitting around the group, especially a table where a girl sporting regal ringlets blonde hair who stood up and headed to the guy. Saito recognized her as one of the students present at is summoning, when he thought about it the boy and his friends were too.

"Guiche !" She shouted with a frowning face.

"Montmorency ! This is a misunderstanding ! All I did was accompany her on a long trip to the forests of La Rochelle..." Guiche said, shaking his head. While he was pretending to remain composed, a drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

"Just as I thought ! You've been making moves on that first year, haven't you !?"

"Please, Montmorency the Fragrance. Don't twist your rose-like face in anger like that. It saddens me to see it !"

'Yeah genius dig your grave…' Thought Saito.

Montmorency grabbed a bottle of wine that was on the table and poured its contents out audibly on Guiche's head. And then...

"You liar!"

She yelled while slapping him hard on the other cheek and stormed off. Silence fell upon the court. Guiche pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his face. Shaking his head, he spoke dramatically.

"It would seem those ladies do not understand the meaning of a rose's existence."

'Bloody hell, he actually believe that ?' Thought again Saito, then the two-timer looked to Siesta anger in his calculating eyes. 'Oh, oh…'

"Maid !" Exclaims the guy.

"Y-yes sir…" She answered shaking.

"Are you stupid ? Couldn't you get the hint when I said that wasn't mine ! Now because of you, commoner..." She was now nearly sobbing. "The honor of two maiden are tarnished ! What are you going to do for make amend of it !"

"I-I-I'm so-sorry sir I didn't do it on purpose !" She says bowing and crying, that made the otherworldly observer react.

"Eh !" Exclaims Saito while standing between them, protecting her. "Enough of that boyo ! You're in the wrong here, no her !"

"Who are you commoner for daring to interfere with the punishment of a… Wait, but I recognize you... You're the commoner that Valliere summoned yesterday isn't ?"

"Yes Guiche it's him ! The weird familiar of Zero !" One of the students behind him exclaimed.

"Humph... If you leave now and don't interfere with that, I will close my eyes on your lack of etiquette after all that in itself isn't surprising... Your master is an incapable, powerless and immature noble."

"Eh ! Leave Louise out of this ! And you can dream if you think I'm gonna let you harass an innocent girl... Two-timer..."

"Ah, ah, Guiche he got you there !"

"Fine. If you insist so much I, will teach you how to treat a noble..."

"Go ahead blondie…" Taunt Saito grinning.

"Very well !"

At that he walked away.

"Hum… Boyo ? I'm right here…"

"I know that ! Do you think that I'm going to taint the prestigious tables of this fine institution with a filthy commoner blood ? Of course not, I'll be waiting for you at the Vestri Court for our duel… That is if, you dare come."

He said with a flourish of his cape, heading to the aforementioned place with the cohort of friends, though one stayed behind surely for making sure he wasn't escaping. Saito then looked to Siesta, she was still shaking, the emotion certainly.

"Eh there... It's okay…" He took her by her shoulders, stroking them. "You'll be fine don't worry..."

"Don't worry ? How can I when you are going to be killed !"

"Nani ?"

"He's a noble, a mage ! We commoners can't hope to do anything to them !"

"Ah that... Well don't worry I'm gonna be fine..." He nonchalantly said.

"B-but !"

"Trust me… Please..." He asked her.

She wasn't sure what to think of it. On a side she knew, simply knew in her very core he couldn't, he wouldn't survive a fight against a noble... But when she looked into his blue eyes full of certainty and kindness... She also knew that she could trust him. So she took a deep breath and nodded. Then he heard a voice he didn't suspected to hear until at least maybe less a few more hours. His master was back and pissed. Guess to whom ?

"Familiar ! What is the meaning of this !?" She shouted a few feet away.

"Oh Louise ! How are you ? Did you eat well ?" He asked back conversational.

"What ? How can you ask that now ! Answer to me ! I saw everything ! I regret to not have interfered much earlier... But in the Founder name's why did you declared a duel with Guiche de Gramont ?"

"If you saw all this you should know..." Answered Saito serious now.

"Yes for this maid..." She casted a look at Siesta noticing her chest, at what the maid covered with an arm sticking close to Saito. "Oh why did you have to do that !? Couldn't you just let him do what he wanted ? That's his right !"

"How can you say that !" Screamed Saito. "I'm really disappointed to hear you speak of such a thing like that..."

"You don't believe me ? Fine ! Maid, tell him." She ordered Siesta.

"She's speaking the truth Mister-, Saito, that a right every nobles have on the commoners…" She says regretful.

"Well that's pure madness ! I will not overlook anything like that do you hear me !? In my presence every people will never have to bow to no-one ! You know where I'm from... I've shown you the Earth… You know what I'm capable of, and I will put some sense in his twisted head... Understood..?" Seeing her having nothing else to say he nodded. "Good..."

He smiled at this and looked back towards the student who stayed while watching the whole and sported a twisted grin.

"Lead me to the Vestri Court." He ordered to the snickering boy who saw the whole scene and did as he was told.

A few minutes later they arrived to the battle ground, but they weren't alone no… A really big crowd of students of all years were present, surely for assisting to the promising diverting fight. The two-timer was already there, talking with his comrades when one pointed to himself, making Guiche take notice of his appearance. He was clearly surprised by the look in his eyes, but quickly regained composure.

"Well commoner I have to give it to you, you are no coward… Well maybe a fool…" His peers laughed at that comment.

Saito walked toward him stopping at twenty or so meters, the one who leaded them here rejoining the group of supporters who left their leader with him to join the crowd, while the girls joined too taking position just before the mass of persons, incidentally they were right by Kirche and her quiet friend he remarked.

"So boyo... I'm right here what now ?"

"It's time for me to teach you how to speak correctly to a noble..."

"A noble ? Where ?" Saito says looking around.

"Enough ! Let's start your correction…" He took out a rose and pointed it to him.

"Wow… A flower that's so scary..." The human familiar taunted again.

"Enjoy your bickering for the time you have left while you still can…" He flickered his hand and a petal fell.

Upon touching the ground a bright light emanated from it and the very ground itself shifted like if something wanted to raise from it and, there it was... Rising where a patch of green grass was a moment before, a human shaped form made of metal took place.

"Since my runic name is Guiche the Bronze you shall fight my golems, the Valkyries !"

The metal construct, that Valkyrie, moved to take a fighting stance, human like hands tighten into solid fists.

'So that's magic huh ? Impressive I have to admit it... But… Let's see what's this thing is truly made off." He took a fighting stance himself and brought closer his left arm. Whispering lowly he asked... "M.S.C. do a structural analysis and display it on the HUD. Discreetly." In two seconds the results were shown. 'So let's see… Bronze huh ? There is too much copper and not enough tin you idiot. And it's hollow ! That guy is basically sending a soda can to fight, and it's not even reinforced with a skeleton ! Well at least he tried...' Saito thought. "Well what are you waiting for... Bring it on !"

"Very well commoner, Valkyrie !"

At his order the construct shoot off towards him a fist poised to strike, Saito then relaxed himself tucking his hands in his pockets. Waiting with a serene but confiant look the punch heading towards his abdomen.

*ZAP !*

But to no avail... In a glowing yellow light, the fist was stopped. And with the recoil it was even dented. Silence... Throughout the court no one, except Louise, understood what happened. The commoner was alright ! And Guiche was wide open eyed.

"H-how..." He says.

"That hurts a lot... Yep. A lot..." Saito says sarcastically.

"That's impossible ! How can that be !"

In the crowd several students were talking with themselves about this impossible event.

"Don't know..." Saito answered shrugging. "Maybe your doll is just weak…" He finished smirking.

"Weak… I'll show you who's weak !"

The Valkyrie then burst to life again but this time a gale of punches was thrown at him, but even so he didn't move... His shield taking and redirecting the damages to it's owner. Then having enough of this, Saito send a punch himself but, unlike him, the Valkyrie suffered. The punch hit it in the jaw and with the deflected force, the head was ripped off.

'Wow... I know it's completely hollow but still...'

After this demonstration of force the crowd was more lively than before, asking to themselves and to the master of the fighting commoner how he could do that. Louise at lost on what to answer didn't talked.

"Sigh… Oi boyo ! It's when you want you get serious ! I have nothing against your punching-ball but… It's boring..."

Guiche was getting angry... And frustrated. Why couldn't it goes as planned, he should be bowing to him by now !

"Boring... Alright commoner ! You want me to be serious ? Fine by me ! Take this !"

He then summoned three other Valkyries, but this time they were armed. One with a sword, one with a battle axe, and one with a spear.

"Finally something interesting... Ladies first." Says Saito.

Taking this as the starting signal, the Valkyries darted forward, the saber at his left, the battle axe wielder at his right, and lancer at his forefront. The first to strike at the stomach was the lancer, who's weapon, unable to handle the force, broken. He pushed it with a kick and then the battle axe hit him at his flank, bending to the sheer strength of the Valkyrie wielding it. And then came the sword down, Saito didn't let it touch him, preferring to dodge the hit and do a shutō-uchi, or knifehand strike, in it's neck severing instantly the head. He then turned to the nearest Valkyrie and did a high kick into it's solar plexus, carving an hole in it, he saw the last Valkyrie coming closer and simply gave it a well placed punch in it's face.

"So… That's all ?" He asked his breathing a little fast but still relatively calm. 'Thanks to my nanobots.' Thought Saito.

"Alright ! If you really want to die my pleasure !" Shout the two-timer.

He then summoned many more Valkyries all armed with diverses kinds of weaponry.

"Really ? That's all you know ? I thought that this place was a magical school… You have really nothing else than that ? I thought that the nobles were powerful ?" He provocated the boy in hope to make him do something more costly in Willpower.

"You want me to use what I learned ? Ah, ah, ah… Fine by me ! But know that you caused you're own death !"

He then closed his eyes, murmuring a spell waving his rose to the left and right, then the Valkyries acted strangely. They were regrouping together and then melted. Not in a chaotic puddle of melting metal no… They merged altogether... Taking the shape of a more stronger, higher, bulkier golem.

"I show you the Paladin !" Exclaims Guiche panting and sweating a lot, he was even slightly shaking.

Seeing this new opponent Saito raised again his arms for discreetly consult his device.

"M.S.C., do another analysis..." And the results were shown. 'Oh shit… This one isn't hollow not at all… If he would happen to land an hit on me that would be bad, the shield is maybe restored but because of the repairs of the vortex's module and the others sub repairs, the energy allocated to it is less than it should be. At the very least in the eventuality of damages, I should still be protected but at the cost of it's integrity, and that would mean allocating more energy to repair it, meaning delaying more the repair of the vortex's module... Argh if only I had full power I would be nearly invincible, or at the very least I would have nothing to fear against that !'

The Paladin then charged him with a swiftness he thought it wouldn't be capable of. Saito quickly dodged rolling on the ground and made to stand up, until an impact throwns him in the ground again. He turned his head to see that he'd been hit by the crumbling golem's fist.

'Oh crap that hurt the shield is now at 65 % ! If this thing hit me again that's gonna leave a mark, a frizzling one at that.'

And like reading his mind, the Paladin charged at him again, he barely missed to be crushed.

'Fuzakenna ! How can that thing be so fast ! I know it's magic but come on ! Wait. Eh, eh... It can't fly !'

And by his neuronal connection he told to the M.S.C. to deploy the thrusters. But by the time he could became airborne, the golem send another punch, hitting him on the sides. Sending him away but the distance allowed him to ascent, under the sight of the students present here.

"M.S.C. ! Give me something to attack this thing now ! Anything !" He ordered to his device as he uncovered it.

"Sorry sir, but you don't possess the administrative permissions required to use an offensive module, only a military issued model is fully equipped with those at it's initialization." Answered back the device.

"I don't give a shit about that ! The shield's integrity is threatened and so is my life ! And I know that even civilian models have those equipped but locked away, for emergency situations such as this, and I'm in one right now ! So give me a damn weapon ! And for good ya hear me !?" Shouted Saito while dodging the golem's fists who could surprisingly jump quite high.

"Roger sir, assessing situation… Danger confirmed. Granted permanent access to offensive module level one, type cold weapon. Module : Plasmic Blade, deployment !" Exclaims the device.

And in a flash of light on his right backhand appeared on a strange glove made of a foreign material, for the Halkeginians, a flat rotund rectangular white metal piece with a glowing blue opening on the upper end. The glow became bright and in a sound like thunder, a blade made entirely it seemed of blueish white light appeared. And then a strange sensation took over him, he felt lighter, stronger and terribly faster...

Everyone who was watching the fight on the sides was stupefied, that invincible commoner could not only fly but also summoned a magical sword ! Louise who started to worry a little after seeing that he started to dodge meaning his shield was weakening, now breathed in relief, decidedly he was going to surprise her a lot and he better one day explain everything to her. Siesta was astonished... Saito didn't suffer any damages of the many golems the two-timer noble summoned, he was even dodging with agility the hits of this bulky one ! But she knew desperately that wouldn't be enough to beat this magic user opponent, until thoses strange boots appeared and he flew ! And then he spoken nonsense to his enchanted gauntlet and then a miracle happened... A magical sword appeared ! But there is one thing she didn't understand, why did he lied to her saying he wasn't a noble ?

But the one who was the more surprised was this douchebag of a noble, Guiche, he didn't believe his eyes, that commoner knew magic ? He was in big, really big trouble... And that was even more obvious when this commoner familiar looked at him. He was grinning… And Guiche was now starting to felt more nervous.

'Wow… That's weird... What's happening to me ?' He looked at his hands, for checking if he changed and something did. 'Nan desu ka ? My runes... They're glowing ! Tonikaku… I'll take care of this later…' He thought. "A Plasmic Blade ! Oh yeah that's awesome ! Well... I rather preferred to have a gun but oh well… Beggars can't be choosers I guess, anyway. Time to strike back !" Shouted Saito dashing towards the golem.

He cocked his arm back, the golem raising both in vain attempt to protect himself and then in a slash one arm was severed, a molten stub in it's place. Saito then quickly darted back, skirted the golem and aimed to a leg, hiting it. By now Guiche was panicking but also quickly thinking like he was taught to by his family, if that sword was normal he couldn't even scratch his golem, and even if he actually managed to do it he could allways repair the earth construct ! But that sword… Didn't just cut the metal no it melted it ! And the deferential of temperature impaired with his elemental affinity, due to the heat he would have to use a fire spell for dissipate it but he was just a mere Dot Mage ! He couldn't do that ! And then his golem hit the ground, falling like a rock, dissolving. He had to cast again or he would loose but he couldn't ! All of his Willpower was depleted ! Then the familiar stared at him, not good...

"So boyo..." The 23rd century familiar says while sliding towards him. "It's between us now !" He then throttled up.

"No stay away from me !" The blonde boy screamed, but in vain.

He darted back until he was against a wall, Saito coming closer, powered down completely his thrusters and landed just before him, trusting his blade in the stone wall besides his neck, melting it.

"So what now..? Didn't you said that you were going to teach me how to treat a noble ?" Asked Saito casually but dangerously.

"P-p-please... Spare me ! I'm sorry, I'm sorry !" He shamefully begged.

"You're sorry..? You're sorry ! Ah ! Ah ! Tell me boyo… If Siesta would have begged you, as a matter of fact she even did by the way, would you have spared her ?"

"W-w-who ?" He asked stupidly.

"Siesta ! The innocent maid upon which you directed you're anger because you've been caught, two-timing !" He then turned his head to crowd. "Siesta be a dear and come here please ! Louise too if you could please ! And the two girls from before, I know you're there, would you be so kind to approach too !"

And his call was answered, the four girls came before the vanquisher and the defeted.

"Y-yes Saito ?" Siesta tentatively says.

"Come closer please..." She did as demanded. "Do you recognize her now ?" He asked back to the boy bringing the blade closer.

"Yes, yes !" He fearfully answered.

"And..?"

"I'm sorry ! I'm sorry ! Please excuse me maid-" Saito give the blade a shove. "Siesta ! Siesta ! I'm sorry Siesta ! Please forgive me !"

"Siesta ? Will you find in your much kind heart the will to forgive him, even if he's really not so worthy of it ? Despite what he did to you and possibly others..?"

"Hum… Yes... I think I can forgive him." She says to which Guiche gave her a grateful look and step back.

"Are you sure ?" He asked concerned.

"Yes, I'm sure he will not try again... Will you ?" She asked with big uncertain eyes.

"No ! I swear on my honor ! I will never do this to you again Ms. Siesta !" Another shove. "Or towards any other for the matter !" Exclaims the frantic blonde.

"Very well... Louise, can you come here please ?" She did as told too. "You see this guy here insulted you and I didn't really liked it."

Guiche now knowing how it worked...

"Valliere ! I'm sorry really sorry ! Please forgive me !"

"Louise ?"

"Yes, yes… I forgive him…" She says dismissively has she quickly turned back to where Siesta was standing.

"And now the last but not the least. Girls, would you kindly approach please." They did as told too. "You must know what this sad excuse of a man did to you both..."

"Oh girls I'm so sorry ! I swear on my honor I will never do that again ! To anyone ! Please Katie forgive me for having played with your heart like I did, I'm sorry ! And you my beloved Montmorency ! I'm so sorry to have done a so terrible crime ! But is this my fault if-" He was interrupted by the blade who was dangerously coming closer of his neck, he could even feel the heat from the melting stone. "I'm sorry ! I'm sorry ! It's my fault ! Please forgive me Montmorency !"

The two girls looked to each other, nodding in a silent approval.

"We accept your apologies... But don't expect us to forgive you so easily..." Montmorency says.

"Y-yes Master Guiche you have deeply wounded us…" Says Katie as the two girls headed to somewhere else leaving the poor guy at his vanquisher.

"Oh thank you ! Thank you ! I swear to be another man from now on !" Exclaims the relived mage.

"Yes you better be, because if not..." Saito retired the blade of the wall and plunge her between his legs, too much closer of his neither region for his taste. "You will not be a man anymore... Do you hear me ?" He lowly asked dangerously.

"Yes ! Yes ! I swear !" He nodded actively.

"Good…" He then powered down his blade. "Now out of my sight."

And he didn't need to be asked twice, the now changed boy by that lesson of modesty, ran like if the devil was at his poursuit.

"Sigh... What a day... Now the only thing I want to do it's head back to the dorms and maybe take a nap… But before that." He powered up both of his deployed module, raised in the air and turned towards the crowd floating still. "Listen attentively because I'm not going to say it again ! Those two girls here are under my protection ! If one of you dare just to talk to them in a way I don't like he or her, will have a taste of my blade !" For good measure he pictured his warning with a slash at the air, making most if not all persons in the crowd jump in fright. "Or maybe worse..." Seeing that his message was understood he got back to the girls, powering down and withdrawing his modules. "Now we can go !" He exclaimed smiling but his intentions were squashed down by a voice.

"I don't think so young man..."

He turned around and saw professor Colbert standing besides a gorgeous green haired woman.

"Fokou da…"

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**A/N : And the ritualistic battle against Guiche ! Ah... I have to admit I didn't see the end of it. That chapter is actually the longest I've ever written so far, more than 7,000 words ! I hope you enjoyed that version, and for those who could have think this Saito is a little OP, well now you saw that his shield is not totally invincible. And a new weapon ! Yes I know... The Plasmic Blade was a little foreseen... But that fit the plot isn't ? And a certain reference, was added in the end for those who guessed right the inspiration of the title.**

**Edit 17/04/16 : So yeah I've made some modifications to this chapter, for those who didn't read the first version allow me to explain.**

**In the original I've made Africa's counterpart inexistant, leaving just a mere ocean. For the sake of the story as well it's continuity I've decided to change that.**

**Also I'm kinda ashamed to admit that I totally forgot to add America's counterpart... At first I didn't have anything planned for it to make it exist and so… Well let's say that now it's rectified. Hint, hint.**

**I've also taken the freedom to add/change/erase some lines and strophes. I had this planned a long time ago and life's been in the way. As of course the, slow but steady, writing of the next chapters. Yep I've already got two new chapters in work of progress but I'll say no more for now.**


	6. Chapter 6 - A lot to understand

**A/N : Hello guys ! Sorry for the long wait, life been hectic lastly between working to get my driving license and the others randomness of life, and let's not talk about my laziness but here you go, another chapter !**

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Chapter 6 - A lot to understand :

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In the office of the academy's headmaster, Louise and Saito were standing before his desk, Siesta was no longer among them having since then departed away for getting back to her daily tasks. Sitting at the desk was the aforementioned man, who looked at them with his head on his jointed hands resting on his elbows propped on the wooden surface of the ancient desk with, at his side, a little white mouse busy at eating some grain the headmaster had given to the little familiar a few moments earlier. His face had a neutral look, but his eyes on the contrary, were jumping between master and familiar with a calculating look. Behind them were one of the persons who brought them here. The person who gave Saito the possibility of conversing with the people present, and promised to find a way to send him back, the honored professor Colbert, the young and charming headmaster's secretary wasn't present, she had been dismissed away a few seconds earlier by her employer.

But why were they in this position ? To find the answer we'll have to rewind the course of time…

Precisely thirty eight minutes and fifty two seconds ago in the same office but in a different settings quite peculiar, a loud and vivid knocking was heard from the unique, old but heavy resistant door. Interrupting what seemed like a punishment perpetrated by a beautiful and attractive green haired young woman, to an old long white haired man not really in the prime of his youth anymore with a long beard and moustache to attest of it, but still quite the playful kind, frequently at his own expenses. Upon hearing the door being opened, the secretary had already returned to her own desk, leaving the old man the care to stand himself up, with an agility one couldn't not figure he could muster with the help of his staff, and in time before said door opened, a nearly bald man passing through it.

"Old Osmond !" Exclaims professor Colbert.

"Yes professor, to what do I owe your excitement ?" Asked the called one, Osmond.

Professor Colbert ran to him and quickly showed him what he held in his hands, a book worn by the ravages of time and a rolled parchment.

"I have some big news !"

"There is no such thing as big news. Everything is but a collection of small events."

"I-it may be so, but please ! Take a look at this !"

Colbert handed Osmond the book he had been holding just now.

"Mmm..? This is ~The Familiars of the Founder Brimir~ isn't ? Why would you dig around in so old boring and dusty literature such as this ? If you have time for this you should also have time to tinker, much more better ways of getting the school fees of those spoiled nobles, Mister... Sorry, what is your name again ? Colby ?" He asked tilting his head dumbly.

"What-? It's Colbert ! Old Osmond you forgot ? I'm here for years already !" Colbert answered shocked.

"Ah yes, yes, Colbert... And if I recall correctly you're first name is Johan ? Jehan ?"

"Jean sir…" The professor said dejectedly. "It's Jean, but more importantly ! Look at this also !"

The professor then handed him the parchment where the sketch of the runes on Saito's left hand was written down. The moment he saw the complex formation of lines, older even than their own magic system, Osmond's expression changed... His eyes took on a solemn light and he headed back to his desk and after he sited down, a little white mouse appeared from the ground and jumped on the old mage shoulder, he patted it and then looked towards his secretary.

"Miss Longueville, would you please excuse us ? If you could wait in the corridor you would be very much welcome."

Taking the order wise enough to not question her employer, the green haired secretary hastily made her way to the headmaster's office door, making sure to close her completely. Osmond certain that she was properly outside then settled his eyes back to the balding teacher.

"You have my complete attention now professor... If you would explain everything ?" Osmond asked all the playfulness from before gone with a serious tone.

"Ah yes ! About the runes... Well I'm sure you are familiar with the Brimiric legends, more precisely the legends about his familiars isn't ?" Asked Colbert while opening the old book at a marked page, putting it down on the desk facing the headmaster with along the parchment bearing the scribbled runes on it. "I think one of them was summoned yesterday."

Upon hearing this the headmaster frowned deeply, he gazed to the book then to the parchment.

"From whom familiar or should I say individual those are from ?" Asked Osmond looking back at the professor.

"From the Valliere girl sir, Louise..." Answer Colbert.

"Louise de la Valliere ? Hum… She is Karin's daughter isn't ?"

"Yes sir."

"Interesting... Then… Would that mean that she's a- No. It can't be… But that would explain many things..."

"Explain what sir ?"

"Nothing. I'm just thinking aloud that all. And what about the summoned one ? The being brought from the ritual aren't usual am I right ? What about his kind ?" He asked his hands resting on the desk.

"You're right sir. As far I can tell it's a human, a young man, going by the name of Saito Hiraga." Answer Colbert.

"Saito Hiraga ? That's an uncommon name... How does he looks like ?"

"He looks foreign sir. I'm not sure he's from Tristain or even Halkeginia at all for the matter... He is also dressed drastically unlike any commoner I've seen before."

"A noble ?" Speculate Osmond raising a brow.

"No he can't be…" Nods negatively Colbert. "I casted a Detect Magic spell on him just for being exactly sure when he wasn't looking, and the results were negative, but somehow I felt a strange weak energetic signature coming from him..." Under the headmaster's peek of interest he quickly added. "Sorry sir even if you asked me I couldn't say what that was, apart that strangely enough it makes me think about the properties of a lesser lightning spell, maybe the aftereffects of his strange summoning I don't know… But otherwise I can tell for sure that he is no mage." Finished the professor.

"Hmm... I see… So which one is he ?" He asked to no one in particular while looking at the objects on his desk. "Oh interesting… The Left Hand mmm ?"

"Yes." Nodded positively Colbert. "He is… The Gandálfr. The Left Hand of God there is no doubt."

"The Gandálfr... I can't believe that I would be seeing one in my lifetime... And you have no idea from where he's from ?"

"I've heard some students talking about the lands of the east past the Elven territory, Rub' Al Khali, but I cannot be sure... That's just pure conjecture of students' jabbering after all. So ? What are we going to do ?"

"About what ?" Asked Osmond confused.

"The Gandálfr of course ! Don't we have to report it to the Church ?"

"You fool !" Exclaims the old man startling in the process Colbert and making jump, surprised, the little mouse off the shoulder who landed on the desk on it's back with a thud. "Don't you know anything !? What do you think would happen if those crows of the Church, happened to hear about the existence of such a symbol of the Founder ? Mmm ? How long before do you think it would take for them to use this at their advantage ? As a weapon of war or politics ? And even if he do is, a new incarnation of the Founder's familiar, we don't have enough assurances to make such claims... They could very well make an inquisition if they see fit for their own purposes ! No… We have to be smart and think deeply into the matter... Can I trust you to keep the secret on this case ?" He asked concerned while looking at the professor intensely.

The balding teacher feeling suddenly more older than he was, gulped.

"Yes Old Osmond you can..."

"Good. Now let's talk about the details of-"

But he was interrupted when a loud knocking was heard on the door.

"Who is it ?"

From behind the door came Miss Longueville's voice.

"It's me, Old Osmond."

"What is it ?"

"It seems that some students are dueling in the Vestri Courts. It's causing quite a commotion. A few teachers have gone there to try and stop it, but by then the duel had already started and there is a too many numbers of students to attempt something."

"For heaven's sake, there's nothing worse than a bunch of nobles with too much free time in their hands. So, who's involved ?"

"One of them is Guiche de Gramont."

"Ah, that idiot son of Gramont. Skirt-chasing must run in the family, considering his father's even more of a womanizer. I wouldn't really be surprised if the boy knows every girl in this school. And his opponent is..?"

"...Well, it's not a mage. I've been told it's Miss Vallière's familiar."

Osmond and Colbert exchanged a surprised look.

"The teachers are requesting the permission to use the Bell of Sleep to stop the duel."

Osmond's eyes glinted like a hawk's.

"Ridiculous. There's no need to use such an important artefact just to stop a children's fight. Leave them be."

"Understood."

Miss Longueville's footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

Colbert swallowed audibly and verbally pressed Osmond.

"Old Osmond."

"Hrm. Let's see for ourselves if our claims are founded…"

Sir Osmond waved his staff and a big mirror set in the wall behind him began scrying the situation at Vestri Courts. What the magical artefact showed them was what many, if not all, nobles considered impossible... A boy, no, he was older than a simple child, a young man was fighting head to head against three golems, such feat would not be uncanny if this young man was of noble descendance but he wasn't, at least that's what they thought…

"Are you sure he hasn't a peck of magic in him ? Not even a bit ?" Asked the focused headmaster.

"No I'm positively sure he hasn't, at least when I've tested him before..." Frowned the professor. "But now seeing this I can't tell for sure..." Answered Colbert. 'Who are you Saito Hiraga ? Or more correctly, what are you..?' Thought the professor while watching the fight.

The young man going by the name of Saito Hiraga, was throwing hits after hits to the golems who, obviously, were loosing ground by seconds until that, ultimately, he won... After beheading a first golem with his hand, piercing the chest of a second one with his leg, and carving the last one's face with his mere fist, he crossed his arms defiantly to the shocked noble he fought against, and the impressed Tristanians by the sides.

"By the Founder..." Started Colbert. "That was just incredible ! Such fighting skill and strength... How can he do comparable feats like this so easily ?" Exclaimed the excited man.

"I don't know but did you behold, what was present each time, his members made contact with the golems ?"

"Are you speaking of that strange golden glow ?"

"Yes… It was faint but certainly present. I'm wondering if this isn't what's behind the source of his prowess..."

"Maybe... Oh look ! De Gramont summon again his golems ! How did he called them already…? Ah yes the Valkyries. That's impressive for a first year student, to be able to summon so many at once."

"Mmm... He is as good as his brothers were before him at that age, like their father also was before them by then... But so like him, he also lack of much needed wisdom concerning the fair women hearts... Oh..? What is happening ? That's such a shame this artefact don't restitute the sound also."

On the mirror both academics could see that the parties engaged in the duel were conversing... Or more exactly the young man was doing all the talk and, it seemed, the student didn't particularly liked where it was going. The familiar was now smirking and the blonde mage was then spelling with complex arms and hands movements, his metallic constructs molting like a dirty green magma.

"A fusion spell ? I wasn't informed he already had achieved to master it…" Says Colbert interrogated.

But the headmaster knew better.

"No… Look closely... He's tiring himself trying to complete his spell. The fool… He basically signed his loss."

"Yes I see it now... But still what a result !" Exclaims Colbert.

What was being shown by the mirror was a unique but bulky golem… It was towering Saito by large and was ready to strike.

"I think to recognize the construct." Resume back the professor. "His older brother in the Tristanian Army use them often, if I recall correctly he calls them the Paladins... But the gap of power between his brother and himself is tremendous ! He can't just summon such being like this !"

"That's exactly my thoughts... That boy's gonna overexert himself."

"But he could also end the fight with a hit well placed... About that !"

The instant those words left the balding teacher's mouth, the Paladin spurned to life and send an heavy fist towards the startled familiar, but to no avail... Saito dodged the hit rolling on the ground but before he could even stand again, the golem made a fast unpredicted move, striking him, making Saito touch the ground with strength, yet, unharmed...

"Impressive..." Started Colbert. "He survived without any damages..." Finished with wonder the professor.

"Yes. And this time we have a confirmation, did you see when he took the hit, that strange glow which appeared more visibly, seemed to protect him ?"

"I saw it Old Osmond it seemed like a barrier type spell, do you think it's the work of some mage, helping him by the sidelines ?"

"No impossible... If what you told me about the fact he's not from Halkeginia is true, then no one from the academy would have accepted to help him, and it cannot be his master she's yet to have such power..." He frowned deeply in contemplation. "Tell me... You was the one who got more contacts with him, did you notice something strange coming from his person ?"

The professor closed his eyes, recalling the events of yesterday's summoning and then, opened them, a glight visible in them.

"Of course... By the Founder how could I forgot this ?" Says Colbert putting an hand on his head.

"Forgot what ?" Asked dumbly the headmaster.

"The gauntlet !" Exclaims the professor.

"What gauntlet ?" Says Osmond lost.

"When I copied the Gandálfr runes on his left hand, I saw under the sleeve of his jacket a strange gauntlet lying on his left arm... Actually, before I casted a Spell of Tongues he seemed to use it as a means to understand my words despite the previous language barrier." Answered thoughtfully Colbert. "I couldn't get a perfect view of this unusual contraption, but I clearly saw glowing blue lights coming from it. I'm certain that's the source of his improbable prowess !"

"A translating gauntlet mmm ? And you didn't sense any magic from it ?" To the question the professor nodded negatively. "Interesting... This just raise more questions." Pondered the older man.

Then they saw something interesting again, while he was dodging the Paladin's hits the young man had mysterious white circles appearing around his upper ankles, descending all the way to the ground and some strange white and black metal boots appeared, shaping into form even, in their place, he seemed readying himself to jump until he received an impact from the giant golem, sending him away but unexpectedly he quickly pulled himself back in mid-air and suddenly a bright flash gushed forth from under the boots and he took off. A trail of what seemed like blueish fire under his feet...

"He can fly…" Almost whispered Colbert with awe. "This young man doesn't cease to make me wonder..."

"I know what you mean. Do you have any kind of ideas how he does it ?"

"I don't know, but I would bet my career this fire is for something... I can't believe it. I've always seeked to find other utilisations for the fire element apart for it's obvious destructive utilisation and there he is… Flying freely in the air without the need of wings..." Says with wonder the balding teacher, then with excitement. "I can't wait to talk to him again."

The hovering familiar was circling the golem, the fire trails changing orientation along his legs position and feet movements, while evading the massive fists he suddenly brought his left arm closer to his mouth, and then rolled up his jacket's sleeve unveiling the aforementioned contraption, he appeared to talk to the gauntlet, and it was a passionate exchange by the way he looked at it.

"What is he doing now ? He doesn't talk to his gauntlet is he ?" Asked confused Colbert.

"It appear so… Oh..? What is happening now ?" Wondered the headmaster.

What remarked the old academic was a white flash on the familiar's right hand, more precisely on his backhand, the bright strike making place to something that looked like a metal piece on a band made of an odd material.

The sight makes the professor beside him react.

"What is th-" But he interrupt himself when he saw a sudden bright blueish light emanating from the metal piece, the light expending a few inches until stopping, taking a most obvious shape.

"Is that a blade ?" Asked Colbert.

"I believe so…" Answered his hierarchic superior.

"B-b-but how ?" Asked a bewildered Colbert.

"It's not really a so impressive feat you know." Answered Osmond. "I saw many acts of magic in my long life, and I personally saw once in my younger years a master mage experimented in Wind Magic, summoning a lightning sword from the raging skies during a peculiar powerful storm… The Lightning Sword Spell has he called it by then, could well, obviously has it name indicate, shoot lightning bolts repeatedly without the need to recast another spell again. What a tremendous spectacle of pure magic power... Those days such magical feats are a rare sight to behold…" Remember the old mage with nostalgia. "But that time it was an accomplished mage... One who had many years of practice behind him but now… This isn't the case, this young man isn't an experimented mage, at least from little we know about him, and that blade comes from this outstanding object... We are today in complete uncharted territory..." Finished Old Osmond.

"You're right sir... For now let's see how this fight will end." Nodded solemnly the professor.

And just after that sentence, the familiar spurned into action. He charged towards the golem, who seeing a treat advancing towards itself, raised its massive arms in attempt to protect itself, in vain. When the blade of light struck the Paladin's arm severing it instantly, the airborne Gandálfr then swiftly skirted around the golem and ultimately striked it's leg, the metal behemoth falling to it's demise dissolving into remnants.

"Did the lightning sword from before could do that ?" Asked simply Colbert while blinking.

"Hum… No. I have to admit it couldn't." Answered dumbly Osmond. "But at the very least it could rip apart a mountain in few strikes."

"Ah…" Said simply Colbert.

Then they saw the familiar quickly heading to their student, who darted back to a stone wall falling on his behind, the young man then seemed to cancel the strange blue fire under his feet, landed and stopped just a few inches before their student, cocking his arm seemingly to end the defeated noble.

The gesture making both the academics react.

"No young man ! Don't stoop to such means !" Cried the professor.

"Will he truly do it ? Mmm…" Pondered grimly the headmaster.

"Old Osmond we have to stop him !" Exclaims Colbert.

"It's sadly too late to interfere I'm afraid !"

But their fears were unfounded when they saw the familiar drove his blade in the stone wall, sparring the poor fool who choose to fight a stronger opponent, for now. They both let out a breath they didn't knew they holden back.

"Bless the Founder he didn't deal the ending blow, but we don't know his intentions towards de Gramont, hurry professor take Miss Longueville with you and head to the duel ground, stop him by any means if you have to but interrupt him and bring him and his master to my office." Ordered the Academy of Magic's headmaster.

"Roger sir."

Nodded off Colbert while heading towards the door opening it and disappearing outside the office, his hurried voice echoing in the corridor along the secretary's until fading away, leaving the old mage alone in his office with his sight focused on the enchanted mirror and his thoughts.

'Miss Valliere... What is awaiting us now..? I feel Destiny has a role for each one of us and yours and your familiar has just yet to begun, now that the gears of fate are in motion no one can slow them down...' Thought Osmond watching closely the victorious familiar. "But I have also the feeling that the view we all have of the world will drastically change..." He said softly, his own familiar hoping back on from the desk and cuddled against his shoulder in a comforting way.

Outside the castle the professor along the secretary were running towards the duel ground, and upon closing the distance between them and the Vestri Court, they saw the familiar airborne again hovering still in the air, but this time facing the crowd without the presence of his opponent dead body lying on the ground, he hoped the young fool will keep in mind this lesson from now on, and behave differently in the future.

The flying familiar seemed to adress to the shocked nobles who have assisted to the duel.

"Listen attentively because I'm not going to say it again ! Those two girls here are under my protection ! If one of you dare just to talk to them in a way I don't like he or her, will have a taste of my blade !" For good measure in the end, he slashed his blade the air humming because of the superheated plasma, towards the crowd who backed off gasping. "Or maybe worse..." After delivering his message he landed back again, the boots and the blade of light disappearing in a flash, he faced two girls, one being his master the other a maid. "Now we can go !" He exclaimed.

But Colbert had something else in mind.

"I don't think so young man..."

Saito instantly turned around and saw them, looking between Colbert and Miss Longueville beside him, the young man was then sighing and breathe out something he didn't clearly understand.

"Fokou da…"

Now that the events leading to this moment have been unveiled, let's resume where we were.

"I believe you know why you are here isn't ?" Asked Old Osmond to the two younger ones.

"I've got an idea yeah." Answered Saito plainly.

"Very well, so I think you'll agree that explanations are in order isn't ?" Asked the headmaster.

"About what ?" Asked back Saito.

"Saito !" Hushed Louise. "Don't make a fool of the headmaster !"

"It's quite alright Miss Valliere, after all that's completely natural for him to try to dodge the question... But… Mister Hiraga, is that correct ?" Seeing Saito nod in approval he carried on. "Even if I do understand why you don't want to speak, we still need much-needed answers... Firstly the most obvious question, who are you ?"

To those three words Saito groaned, which startled everyone but Louise in the room.

"Here we go again... Sigh... If I knew I would have made a record of last night..." He said tucking his hands into his jacket's pockets while looking at the ceiling. "Wait a sec… Technically the M.S.C. did. How well I'll explain again for good measure."

Then even if he didn't had the heart into it he explained who he was, from start to the the end he told them exactly what he told to Louise yesterday's night. That he was from another world. His story did a impression to the attendance present in the headmaster's office, the man himself was watching without blinking but into his eyes one could see marvel, but the one who was the more amazed was Colbert. At each sentence the familiar ended he couldn't stop himself to ask questions after questions, and when at some point he asked Saito if he could show him this Earth the young man was talking about he was, for lack of another term, thrilled.

"By the Founder ! Is that really how a whole world looks like ?!" Exclaims the scientific mage whilst getting closer to the Earth's holographic picture. "Look at those details ! And that shape ! How could your people make such a precise mapping ? Surly you must have access to powerful cartographic artefacts ?!"

"Eh, eh... Let's say that we have our ways professor." Smile Saito.

"Please tell me about it !" Burst out with passion the professor while holding the taken aback young man by his shoulders. Action who made the now fuming headmaster react.

"Professor Colbert show some restraint would you !" Shout the old mage towards Colbert who quickly stepped back. "Mister Hiraga has many things to say I believe, so that matter will have to wait for another time..."

"It's quite alright headmaster that will take just but a few minutes." Told Saito to the frowning man who nodded in acknowledgment. He looked about the headmaster's desk and saw a piece of blank parchment. "May I ?" He asked to which the sitting old mage made sign of approval while giving him a quill before him. "Thanks. Wow… That's funny." He said looking at the white feather. "Anyway. So… This picture the ground." He draw an arc on the bottom of the parchment. "This picture the limits of the atmosphere." He made to draw again but stopped himself. "Hum… Just for being sure you do know what's an atmosphere isn't ?" He asked to the persons present in the room, persons who looked to each other in hope one has the answer.

"Are you talking about the air around us by any chance ?" Asked hesitantly Colbert.

"Yes exactly !" Smile Saito while drawing another arc a few centimeters above the first one. "Okay so… The first arc is where we're all standing on, the very ground itself." He hatched grossly on the first arc and made a stick figure on it, which made the Halkeginians present raise their brows. "Don't judge... Anyway, the second is where the birds and... I never knew I would say that one day, the dragons flies... With of course slightly above them the clouds. Now. I'm pretty sure that at night you can see the stars and the moons isn't ?"

"Of course." Answer Louise.

"Well they are above the second arc. Now picture in your minds that representation is the world, follow me so far ?" He looked around and saw all the mages present nod, albeit Louise made a funny face. "Okay so... My people has made a while by now oblong objects who can produce a force strong enough to be able to cancel all gravity." He draw then a pointed figure who looked like a strange thick arrow. "Those objects called rockets, goes through the sky to outer space, the place where the atmosphere ends. The rockets carries inside them construct we call satellite and brought them into space." This time he drew a circle with two rectangular panels attached to it outside the second arc. "The satellites can do many things but one of the most popular utilisation, is the cartography of a planet, that's another name we have for a world. Well that's it, it's how my people can make such detailed mapping with the utmost precision… Even if now we use many more things than mere rockets to go in space." Seeing the curious professor starting to speak he quickly ads. "I know you have many more questions professor Colbert, but that will have to wait for a later date alright ?" He asked politely with his hands joined together.

"Fair enough... I will wait." He says with resignation nodding his head in approval.

"Thanks... Okay ! So… Did you want to know something else ?" He asked turning towards the headmaster.

"Well… I understood that you are from that another world, planet as you name it, the Earth, and that you are from this country called Japan, that from where you came from magic his just pure myth, a work of fiction and that there is no nobles, at least not anymore, ruling your society and that obviously your kind is far more advanced than ours... But there is still the matter of this strange golden glow around you, and of course we need to know more about this fascinating weapon of yours." Asked Osmond while crossing his arms.

"That's fair enough. But in return I too need some answers..." Says Saito crossing his arms too.

"Ask away..."

"Firstly, what the hell is this ?" He asked showing his runes. "I've got the whole familiar runes part but I still need to know more about it. Previously in the fight against Guiche's big golem, when I drew my weapon, I felt that strange sensation, that power… Flowing in me. And let's not forget that the freaking runes glowed ! Headmaster, what happened to me ?"

"Before I get to the explanation do you know what your runes means ?" Asked the headmaster arching a brow in expectation.

He instantly brought his left hand towards him, runes prominently before him.

"Hang on... M.S.C. translate the writing on my hand and display it on the HUD." He says under the interrogated looks of the Halkeginians present. "Mmm…" He did after a few seconds of staring at his hand, then moved his stare back at the headmaster. "What does that mean… Gandálfr ?" He asked concerned. "That sound familiar to me..." He said looking at the ceiling while putting a finger on his chin. "Where did I heard that word already..? Argh… M.S.C. do a research of the word Gandálfr."

"Roger sir. Fetching data… One match found."

The emergence of the artificial intelligence's voice suddenly startled everyone, but Saito, in the office.

"On a dragon scale what was that ?!" Exclaims Osmond.

"Yes, with all that happened yesterday I completely forgot to ask you about it, what is that voice ?" Asked Louise.

"Mmm what ?" He started looking at Louise. "Oh ! Yes I completely forgot to tell you about it. My bad. Well, you see my device has a kind of… How should I put it in a way you could understand… Ah yes maybe this'll work, it's a man-made spirit inside a device which we have denominated as Artificial Intelligence, A.I. for short. The one inside my M.S.C. is an helper of sorts. If that weren't for him I would be really hindered into using the device at it's maximal performance... M.S.C., carry on..." He order to the artificial intelligence.

"Roger sir. Opening entry, Gandalf : Gandalf is said to be a Dvergr, a kind of dwarf in Norse mythology, appearing in the ~Tally of the Dwarves~ within the poem Völuspá from the ~Poetic Edda~, as well in the ~Prose Edda~. The name derives from the Old Norse words gandr (magic staff) and álfr (elf), thus a protective spirit who wields a magical wand.

The name was also used by a Norse king in the ~Heimskringla~.

Also in the 20th century a writer named J. R. R. Tolkien, eventually named his wizard Gandalf after the Dvergr in his book ~The Hobbit~, but initially used the name for the head of the dwarf party, ultimately to be called Thorin Oakenshield. Closing entry."

"Ah ! Ah ! I knew I've heard that name before ! I studied his works in high school years ago, if I recall correctly I had to do a resume of sorts... And I even got a good score at it. But still... That's an hell of a coincidence..." He said crossing his arms interrogation. "Anyway ! I'm guessing that's not what means this word for you isn't ?"

"You are quite right young man..." Nodded in approval Osmond. "You see for us, the Gandálfr is a familiar but one of a special kind... Have you been informed of the one we call the Founder ?"

"Yes, yesterday's night Louise told me that he was the one who gave the magic to the nobles, and that he, and his descendants, made Halkeginia as it's known now." Answered Saito.

"It's exactly that Miss Valliere." He said towards Louise. "But did you knew he had four familiars ?"

"Well… I vaguely recall... Why ?" She asked, worry making it's way into her core.

"They were known under four names, each familiar having one specific power." He took the old book Colbert had previously brought, and opened it at the same page than before. He pointed at an column. "First, there is Myozunitonirun, the Mind of God, who is known to be able to control every magical artefact." He pointed at another. "Second, there is Vindálfr, the Right Hand of God, who has the ability to control all creatures." Again he repeated the act. "Third, there is Lífþrasir, the Heart of God, whose powers is still yet unknown even now… And then there is the Left Hand of God…" He pointed at the last column on the page. "The Gandálfr, who has the ability to handle any kind of weapons." He bowed slightly towards the young man whose concentration, was entirely focused on the book. "You, Saito Hiraga, are the Left Hand of God, the first familiar of the Founder to appear since millenia... You are the Gandálfr."

A loud gulping sound could be heard from the young man, immediately followed by another one from his master. He took a deep breath and say…

"Well… At least I will not be called the Grey."

His comment made the Halkeginians present simply blink in confusion.

* * *

**A/N : Ouf ! I didn't though that it would take this long for me to post this chapter. Like I said at the top, life been hectic but I will try to keep updating as much as I can...**

**But please tell me what you thought of it and what I did wrong, I'm proofreading myself and while I'm pretty sure to have checked every sentences, I still think there is a few mistakes here and there...**

**Anyway ! I hope you liked it and I wish you all an happy new year ! (Yes I know I'm late of a few weeks let's not say a month, but hey better later than never !)**


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